India Plans Network of 44 Airports under Hub-and-Spoke Mode

  •     Central Government has planned a network of 44 airports under the Hub-and-Spoke model, consisting of 4 hub airports and 40 spoke airports.
  •     The model aims to connect Tier-II and Tier-III cities with international destinations through major hub airports in India.
  •      The Hub-and-Spoke model is an aviation network system where passengers travel from smaller spoke airports to a larger hub airport before taking international or long-distance flights.
  •       Under the current plan, Delhi has been identified as a major hub airport, while Varanasi and Amritsar have been designated as initial spoke airports.
  •       A hub airport generally handles higher passenger traffic, more flight connections, and transfer passengers compared to a spoke airport.
  •       Airlines use this model to consolidate routes, improve operational efficiency, and enhance connectivity between multiple destinations.
  •         Air India launched the first Easy Connect flight under this model from Varanasi.
  •     Air India also started inbound and outbound Easy Connect services from Amritsar, connecting passengers to 27 international destinations through Delhi.
  •     Under the Easy Connect system, passengers can complete through check-in and immigration formalities at the originating spoke airport.
  •      The system enables baggage transfer and terminal changes through the network without requiring passengers to re-check baggage at the hub airport.     
  •        The initiative aims to provide seamless international travel connectivity for passengers from smaller cities.