Tata-owned Air India is planning to launch international connectivity from Varanasi under the hub and spoke model, with the goal to strengthen the city's linkages with global destinations, the airline sain on Wednesday, April 29.
The ailrine welcomed the government's push to operationalise the hub-and-spoke aviation model.
The model aims to enable seamless connectivity between Tier-II, Tier-III airports and international destinations developed through UDAN scheme.
The development comes days after Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu reviewed the readiness of Delhi Airport for the implementation of hub-and-spoke operations, chairing a high-level meeting with all key stakeholders at the airport.
Highlighting the vision for the model Minister Ram Mohan Naidu stated, “At present, nearly 35 percent of international passengers travelling from India transit through foreign hubs such as Dubai, London and Singapore. Our aim is to reverse this trend by developing globally competitive Indian hubs like Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Chennai.”
ALSO READ: India's Domestic Air Passenger Traffic Rises 1.4 % YoY To 1,677.4 Lakh In FY26
Speaking on Air India's plans, Campbell Wilson, Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director of Air India, said: “This is a transformative step for Indian aviation. We would like to thank the Hon'ble Prime Minister for his vision, to make India a global aviation hub and develop the entire aviation ecosystem. The hub-and-spoke model will not only strengthen connectivity but also ensure optimal use of airport infrastructure developed across the country. We thank the Minister of Civil aviation for championing the entire Hub and Spoke model which will create a strong multiplier effect and act as a catalyst for India's broader growth.”
He further expressed gratitude to the Civil Aviation Secretary for playing a key role by engaging closely with all stakeholders such as airlines, airports, government agencies to ensure that operational readiness, passenger convenience and security considerations to implement this model.
Meanwhile, P Balaji, Group Head – Governance, Risk, Compliance and Corporate Affairs, Air India, said, “The introduction of international hub-and-spoke connectivity from Varanasi underscores our focus on expanding India's global aviation footprint beyond metros. It will provide tremendous boost to international travellers from India's Tier 2 and tier 3 cities by cutting down travel time, while making travel seamless and convenient.”
ALSO READ: Air India Mulls Broad Flight Cuts Amid High Fuel Costs, Says Report
Essential Business Intelligence, Continuous LIVE TV, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.
