Noida Airport projects 6.5 million footfall in its first year of operations

The Noida International Airport at Jewar has revised its traffic forecast to now anticipate 6.5 million passengers upon opening, following the recovery in air traffic, according to a report by The Economic Times. The airport, owned by Zurich Airport and constructed by Tata Projects, is set to be operational by 2024 and had initially expected to have 4.1 million passengers in its first year.

 

Air traffic recovery has also led to large aircraft orders by airlines in India, contributing to the increase in expected footfall.

 

India's domestic air traffic recovery has been among the fastest globally, with significant growth expected in the coming years. Airbus's 20-year forecast projects that 685 million people will fly in India by 2042, making it the third-largest civil aviation market after China and the United States. Indian carriers have also placed a substantial number of aircraft orders, accounting for nearly seven per cent of the global industry backlog, according to a Barclays report from June this year.

 

The International Air Transport Association (IATA), the trade body for the world's airlines, has also recently allotted the three-letter code "DXN", which symbolises its proximity to Noida, Delhi, and western Uttar Pradesh. This strategic location of the new airport will make it a convenient commute for passengers traveling from three states.

 

The report adds that the airport plans to establish its own catchment area and not rely on traffic spilling over from Delhi Airport. The projections for Noida International Airport indicate that it aims to have 12 million passengers within its first three full years of operation.

 

The new airport will feature one runway, 28 aircraft stands, and a passenger terminal spanning 100,000 square meters. Its ultimate goal is to handle 70 million passengers annually.