‘Hub-and-spoke’ flight ops start at Ahmedabad airport

Ahmedabad became the third Indian city to be equipped with hub-and-spoke international flight services as the services were launched from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (SVPI) in the presence of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Union Civil Aviation Minister K.

Ram Mohan Naidu, Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol and others, said an official release Tuesday. The other two cities that offer the services are Amritsar and Varanasi, it added. As per the release, ‘hub and spoke’ is an airline operational system under which passengers from smaller cities (spokes) are brought to a major central airport (hub), where they are transferred to connecting international flights.

Under this facility, all baggage, customs and immigration-related checks of passengers will be completed at the originating airport itself, eliminating the need for repeated security checks or check-in at the hub airport.

Automated baggage transfer and simplified procedures will save passengers’ time and reduce airlines’ operating costs. Quoting Naidu, the release stated, “The ‘hub and spoke’ model has been launched from Ahmedabad in line with the Prime Minister’s vision to take India’s civil aviation sector to new heights globally.

Given Ahmedabad’s global connectivity, Gujarat’s large NRI community and the needs of trade and industry, this model will play an important role." He added, “The model will provide easier connectivity from Ahmedabad via Delhi to around 15 international destinations.

Passengers will be able to complete baggage checks and immigration procedures at Ahmedabad itself. They will not face the hassle of repeating these procedures while changing flights at Delhi.” The Civil Aviation Minister also said, “In 2014, the country had 74 airports, which have now increased to more than 160.

Over the next ten years, there are plans to develop another 100 airports with the expansion of the UDAN scheme. The civil aviation sector is emerging as an important means of driving the country’s economic growth, employment and trade and industrial development… The growing air connectivity of Ahmedabad will give new momentum to sectors including hospitality, tourism, textiles, pharmaceuticals, diamonds and gems, engineering, semiconductors and manufacturing.

Initiatives such as the ‘UDAN Yatri Cafe’, airport library and digital boarding pass are also being undertaken to further enhance passenger convenience and experience." Meanwhile, MoS Civil Aviation Mohol said that regional connectivity will be further strengthened in the coming days.

He added that Ahmedabad will emerge as a major centre of global connectivity, owing to the large Gujarati diaspora spread across the world, Gujarat’s strong business base and immense tourism potential. Quoting Chief Minister Patel, the release stated, “With the launch of the ‘hub-and-spoke’ service from Ahmedabad Airport, international travellers from Gujarat will directly benefit from the ease of travel.

Passengers from smaller cities will also benefit.” The event was also attended by Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi, Ahmedabad Mayor Hitesh Barot, Chief Secretary M K Das and others.