The Ministry of Civil Aviation launched international hub-and-spoke flight operations at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (SVPIA) in Ahmedabad on 1 September 2026. Union Minister of Civil Aviation K. Ram Mohan Naidu and Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel inaugurated the service at Ahmedabad, which became the third Indian airport under the ministry’s hub-and-spoke framework.
Hub-and-Spoke Model in Civil Aviation
The hub-and-spoke model is an airline network system in which passengers travel through a central hub airport before reaching onward destinations. In India, the framework was earlier rolled out at Varanasi on 25 June 2026 and at Amritsar on 28 July 2026. The model is used by airlines to connect multiple origin airports with a larger set of domestic and international destinations through one transfer point.
Air India’s Easy Connect Flights
Air India operationalised the Ahmedabad launch through its “Easy Connect” service. Two daily Ahmedabad-Delhi flights were designated for the programme, namely AI1121 from 1 September 2026 and AI1117 from 2 September 2026. The service links Gujarat passengers to Delhi as the transit hub for international travel.
Airport Procedures and Transit Connectivity
Under the new arrangement, international passengers can complete customs, immigration, and baggage check-in at Ahmedabad. This process removes the need to repeat these formalities at the Delhi hub during transit. The network is designed to provide onward connections to destinations in Europe, North America, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Australia within four hours of arrival in Delhi.
Important Facts for Exams
- Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport is located in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
- Varanasi and Amritsar were the first two Indian airports included in the ministry’s hub-and-spoke framework in 2026.
- Air India used the “Easy Connect” brand for the Ahmedabad-Delhi feeder flights.
- Customs, immigration, and baggage check-in are completed at the origin airport under this model.
Expansion Plan and Economic Projections
The government plans to extend the hub-and-spoke network to 22 additional airports, including Surat. Studies cited during the launch projected around 4 lakh direct and indirect jobs under the wider International Aviation Hub Strategy. The same projections estimated an addition of US$30 billion to India’s GDP by 2030.
