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Despite having 36 parking bays and the capacity to handle 20-30 diverted flights at a time, the sudden influx often disrupts scheduled domestic operations at Jaipur airport
In its initial phase, Noida International Airport is likely to operate a limited number of domestic routes, around 10 cities, rolled out in phases. (PTI)
There is a sense of cautious relief at the Jaipur airport, long accustomed to handling an unusually high number of flight diversions across the country. The commissioning of the Noida International Airport at Jewar is expected to ease some of that pressure, at least for now.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Phase 1 of the Jewar airport project on March 28, 2026, marking the formal opening of what is being positioned as a major aviation hub for the NCR. Commercial operations are expected to begin within the next 45 days to two months, once regulatory clearances and airline schedules are finalised.
In its initial phase, Noida International Airport is likely to operate a limited number of domestic routes, around 10 cities, rolled out in phases. Early indications suggest that airlines such as IndiGo, Akasa Air and Air India Express will lead operations, focusing on high-demand metro corridors including Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Chennai, among others. Jaipur itself is also expected to feature among the early connections.
For Jaipur, this development carries operational significance. The airport has, for years, functioned as the primary diversion hub for North India. Flights unable to land in cities such as Delhi, Lucknow, Amritsar, Dehradun, Srinagar and Bhopal, often due to poor visibility or adverse weather, are routinely rerouted here.
This has placed considerable strain on Jaipur International Airport, especially during peak winter fog and monsoon disruptions. Despite having 36 parking bays and the capacity to handle 20-30 diverted flights at a time, the sudden influx often disrupts scheduled domestic operations. On an average day, the airport handles around 55 flights, but that number can spike sharply during diversion-heavy periods, leading to congestion on the ground and in the airspace.
With Jewar airport entering the network, some of these diverted flights are expected to be redistributed. Given its proximity to Noida and the wider NCR region, the new airport could serve as an alternative landing point, reducing the exclusive burden on Jaipur.
However, aviation observers caution that this relief may be temporary. With only a handful of flights planned in the initial weeks, Jewar’s capacity to absorb large-scale diversions will remain limited. As operations scale up over the coming months and more routes are added, the airport is expected to play a more meaningful role in diversion management.
At present, Jaipur can see up to 20 diverted flights in a single day under severe weather conditions. The addition of Jewar effectively makes it another node, among a small network of northern airports, that can share this load. Yet, with Delhi continuing to handle one of the highest flight volumes in the country, both Jaipur and Jewar are likely to remain critical buffers during disruption.
Ticket bookings for Jewar flights are expected to open in a staggered manner, typically 2-4 weeks before operations begin. Airlines are likely to announce routes city-wise rather than releasing a full schedule at once, with competitive fares anticipated in the early phase to attract passengers from the Delhi-NCR region.
March 30, 2026, 19:11 IST
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