By ARUN PRATAP SINGH
Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 18 Jul: Yet another airline, Air India Express, has shown its interest in operating flights from Dehradun Airport. The airline has shown its interest in operating on existing routes as well as two new routes. The flights proposed are currently awaiting clearances and will likely begin operations from November when the winter schedule in respect of Jolly Grant Airport will be released.
This move will boost air connectivity from Dehradun Airport.
The new flights will establish direct links of Dehradun Airport to Asia’s largest upcoming aviation hub, Jewar Airport (Noida International Airport) as well as to the newly constructed Navi Mumbai Airport. The Airports Authority of India has received applications from airlines including IndiGo and Air India Express to commence these routes during the upcoming winter schedule, typically activated by the end of October. If approved, this will mark the first-ever direct air services between Dehradun and these emerging metropolitan terminals.
IndiGo has proposed to begin operations to Jewar with 180-seater aircraft, aligning with the opening of Jewar’s domestic services expected on 29th September. Similarly, Air India Express has proposed three new routes connecting Dehradun to Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, and Navi Mumbai, where the airport is set to begin domestic operations on 30 September. These expansions will complement existing services to Bengaluru and Ahmedabad provided by other carriers, thereby reinforcing Dehradun’s air network and its strategic importance within India’s aviation map. Bengaluru is a popular destination from Dehradun and there are multiple flights to and from Dehradun and Bengaluru already. New flights may possibly bring down the market prices. There is a direct daily flight to Ahmedabad also from Dehradun and the proposed Air Asia will add another flight.
The proposed flights are pending approval from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), which is currently reviewing the operational submissions. DGCA’s clearance process, while procedural, often encounters delays owing to compliance verifications and slot allocations, especially when new airports are involved. Any postponement in final approvals could lead to deferred commencement dates, forcing airlines to adjust staffing and ticketing timelines. In earlier cases across airports including Kannur and Kushinagar, delayed DGCA nods had prompted legal representations by stakeholders citing economic and logistical impacts.
At present, Dehradun Airport accommodates over 45 daily flights including the arrivals and the departures operated by four carriers, IndiGo, Air India, SpiceJet, and Alliance Air. With Air India Express poised to become the fifth entrant, the total flight volume is expected to increase notably. Airport Director Prabhakar Mishra has confirmed IndiGo’s intent to operate the first flight to Jewar and Air India Express’s launch of routes to Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, and Navi Mumbai. He stated that applications have been submitted to the AAI and that airlines will proceed with operations once requisite regulatory permissions are secured.
The operationalisation of Jewar and Navi Mumbai airports is also expected to relieve congestion at Delhi and Mumbai airports respectively, enhancing passenger experience and air traffic efficiency.
