Civil Aviation Ministry Reports Over 9,000 Passengers Benefiting from Air India's Hub and Spoke Scheme

More than 9,000 passengers have connected via Delhi on Air India’s hub and spoke flights in under four months, according to a recent report by the Civil Aviation Ministry. The data highlights the early progress of the government's initiative aimed at developing domestic aviation hubs and improving international travel access from regional markets.

The hub and spoke operations initially commenced from Varanasi on June 25, allowing passengers to complete their customs and immigration clearances at the first point of departure. Following the initial launch, the scheme was extended to Amritsar on July 28 and to Ahmedabad on September 1.

According to data released in the Ministry report covering the period up to October 17, Varanasi recorded 976 outbound passengers travelling on hub and spoke flights via Delhi. Amritsar and Ahmedabad recorded 4,293 and 2,090 outbound passengers respectively. Additionally, the report noted that 1,689 passengers travelled inward to Amritsar via Delhi utilizing these flights during the same timeframe.

Commenting on the numbers, the Ministry stated that the passenger figures indicate a growing acceptance of the facility among regional travellers.

The broader objective of the scheme is to provide seamless international travel from tier II and III cities, assist Air India in capturing additional feeder traffic from regional markets, and strengthen Indian airports. This strategic focus is considered vital given that approximately 70 percent of the 25 million long-haul travellers to and from India currently connect through hubs located outside the country.

Despite the initial traffic figures, the rollout faces operational hurdles. Air India did not respond to queries regarding the initiative. Meanwhile, industry observers note that it remains premature to fully evaluate the success of the scheme since only three spoke airports have been connected so far. Operations from Guwahati, initially scheduled for October 27, have been postponed to November.

Industry experts have also highlighted other challenges impacting the program. Air India has reportedly reduced international flight frequencies due to high operating costs, while airspace closures have extended the duration of westbound flights, affecting both schedules and transit flows through Delhi. Furthermore, the hub and spoke facility is currently unavailable for international connections exceeding a four-hour layover, restricting the total number of passengers eligible to use the service.

"The early data from the hub and spoke scheme demonstrates a clear demand for regional international connectivity originating from tier II and III cities in India. However, bridging regional markets with major international routes requires addressing complex operational bottlenecks, including flight scheduling, transit time restrictions, and fleet utilization. For airlines and policymakers alike, long-term success will depend on resolving these infrastructural and logistical challenges to ensure seamless passenger movement and sustainable operating margins." — Dr. Shishir Gupta, Founder & CEO, StartupLanes