The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) is preparing to roll out a sophisticated Hub and Spoke model from June 1, allowing people to travel internationally directly from non-major airports via major Indian airports. As the first phase will cover Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Rajkot as the hub airports, Air India has announced its preparations to launch international connectivity from Varanasi via Delhi under this model.
Air India starts with Varanasi-Delhi route
The hallmark of this new model is the integration of seamless transfers. Under the current system, passengers flying from a spoke (a non-major airport) to an international destination via a hub (a major airport) often have to collect their baggage, recheck it, and undergo additional security and immigration clearances at the hub airport.
Starting June 1, the government will enable integrated through-check-in. This means that passengers from non-major airports will be able to complete their international exit formalities, like customs and immigration, at their point of origin. Similarly, their luggage will be tagged directly to the final international destination, eliminating the need for re-collection during the layover.
No more baggage recheck at hubs
The initiative aims to position India as a global transit powerhouse, rivaling traditional stopover hubs such as Dubai, Doha, and Singapore by streamlining journeys for passengers traveling from smaller Indian cities to international destinations. The Ministry has identified four airports, including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Rajkot, to spearhead the first phase of this rollout, based on their infrastructure capacity and geographic positioning.
According to officials close to the project, Delhi is strategically important as a primary gateway for long-haul flights to North America and Europe, whereas Mumbai can become a key connectivity point for the Middle East and Africa. Similarly, Bengaluru is witnessing increased connectivity to Southeast Asia and Australia. Rajkot’s Hirasar International Airport has come as a surprise addition to this model and is expected to serve as a critical gateway for the West.
India aims to rival Dubai, Doha, Singapore
Air India is slated to be the first airline to operationalise this model. The airline will launch dedicated spoke-to-hub operations on the Delhi-Varanasi route. The airline believes that the model will help airlines optimise aircraft utilisation and contribute to decongestion at major airports by decentralising passenger processing across spoke locations.
Air India’s chief executive officer Campbell Wilson called it a transformative step for Indian aviation. “The model will not only strengthen connectivity but also ensure optimal use of airport infrastructure developed across the country,” he said.
The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) and the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) are expected to issue final standard operating procedures (SOPs) to ensure that security is not compromised while enhancing passenger convenience.
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