Greenfield airports to give India global aviation edge: Noida airport CEO

At the BS Infrastructure Summit, Noida airport CEO Christoph Schnellmann said greenfield airports give India an edge as they use modern tech and focus on faster, smoother passenger transfers

At the Business Standard Infrastructure Summit 2025, Christoph Schnellmann, CEO of Noida International Airport, highlighted why greenfield airports give India an edge in becoming a global aviation hub.

 

“Every airport is a hub, not just in terms of air travel but also ground travel. Larger airports in India are beginning to provide hub connectivity at global scale,” he said.

 

Schnellmann explained that unlike older airports, Noida is not tied down by legacy systems. “We have been able to deploy the newest technology when it comes to passenger processing, self-service bag drops. The disadvantage is that we do not have the experience,” he said.

 

Noida International Airport is currently constructing its first terminal and plans to handle 70 million passengers over the next two decades. The CEO said the focus will be on making passenger transfers smooth.

 

“Our efforts in this context are that we will make sure that the transfer from your vehicle... to the flight is as quick and easy as possible, digitally supported,” he said.     

 

Domestic and international transfers to be key

 

In its first phase, the airport will concentrate on domestic-to-domestic and domestic-to-international transfers. Schnellmann said, “We will be an international airport. There will be immigration counters. But our primary focus is on safety.”

 

Schnellmann added that the bigger challenge lies in handling rapid growth in the Delhi-NCR aviation ecosystem without affecting punctuality and efficiency.

 

'Working together to build hubs'

 

Schnellmann stressed the need for industry-wide cooperation. “If we want to succeed in India with hubs, if we want to win with hubs in India, we do so as an industry, we do so by working together,” he said.

 

He also underlined that improving passenger experience will decide the success. “Our transfer product needs to be better... Better may mean quicker, maybe easier, cheaper, or more luxurious for the premium travelling segment," he said.     

 

Noida International Airport

 

The Noida International Airport, also known as Jewar Airport, is one of India’s most significant greenfield projects. In December last year, it successfully conducted a validation flight with IndiGo, marking a key step towards securing its aerodrome licence. The test confirmed the accuracy of approach procedures and navigational systems in the presence of civil aviation minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu.

 

The airport has failed to meet its third deadline of May 15, set by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Earlier, the project had also missed the targets of September 29, 2024, and April 25, 2025.     

 

What are greenfield airports?

 

Greenfield airports are facilities built from scratch on undeveloped land, avoiding the challenges of older sites. They are designed with minimal environmental impact and modern infrastructure.

 

The Greenfield Airports Policy of 2008 allows developers and state governments to propose such projects, subject to a two-stage approval process—site clearance and in-principle approval by the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

 

Many Indian airports in urban areas are already operating at full capacity, leading to congestion and environmental stress. Greenfield airports shift air traffic to the outskirts, reducing urban pollution and supporting sustainable growth.