SHERIDAN, WYOMING – Feb. 18, 2025 – Noida International Airport (NIA), a greenfield airport nearing completion in Jewar, Noida, is poised to revolutionize air travel in India. Scheduled to commence commercial operations in April 2025, NIA will become the second airport serving the National Capital Region (NCR) of India, marking the country's first metropolitan dual airport system. This development comes as India's civil aviation market is projected to become the third largest globally, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), and one of the fastest growing, as reported by aviation analytics firm OAG.1
Addressing Growing Demand and Enhancing Connectivity
"This will be the first time India has a dual airport system within one metropolitan area, and it will complement Delhi’s Indra Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), because the demands within the region are huge," says Nicolas Schenk, chief development officer at Noida International Airport – Zurich Airport International AG (ZAIA). The strategic placement of NIA in Noida, on the opposite side of the NCR from IGIA, will allow it to serve a distinct catchment area, catering to the rapidly expanding urban population. OAG reports scheduled airline capacity from India up almost 9% in 2024, with 240 million seats across domestic and international markets, demonstrating the critical need for increased airport infrastructure.2 The Aviation Ministry of India's plan to build 200 additional airports by 2040 underscores this demand.
Boosting Economic Growth and Regional Development
Beyond passenger convenience, NIA is expected to stimulate economic growth and create job opportunities. "For example, in terms of cargo to and from Noida’s industrial zone, their goods won’t have to travel through the whole of Delhi, saving time and money," says Jan Wicki, VP of program management and operational readiness and airport transition (ORAT) at Noida International Airport. "We expect it will also have a strong, positive impact on industrial growth in the region.” The introduction of a dual airport system necessitates airspace restructuring, a complex undertaking being led by the Airports Authority of India (AAI). Wicki notes, "They’re doing a great job so far in developing the airspace to allow for unconstrained routes for both airports, which don’t compromise either IGIA or us in terms of arrival or departure procedures that would have an impact on our capacity.”
Swiss Efficiency Meets Indian Hospitality
The NIA project, awarded to Yamuna International Airport Private Limited (YIAPL), a subsidiary of Zurich Airport International, in 2019, embodies a blend of Swiss efficiency and Indian hospitality.3 A key focus of the design is minimizing aircraft ground time. "Basically, we’re building the terminal in a way that we can serve a domestic or international flight from the same contact stand," explains Wicki. "This will help keep aircraft turnaround time down, as they won’t need to be towed to another stand if its inbound flight is domestic but its outbound is international.” Furthermore, remote parking positions are designed for future aircraft self-taxiing capabilities, further optimizing turnaround times. Schenk highlights the focus on passenger experience: "On the hospitality side, we introduced a huge forecourt with a similar footprint to that of the terminal itself, where departing and arriving passengers, as well as airport employees, all come together and mingle. Here we’re creating a kind of ‘destination’, with a real mix of food, beverage and retail offerings. Another example is after security control, where we’ve designed an 18 x 36m courtyard open to the sky for passengers to relax in.”
A Phased Approach to Expansion and Future Growth
Noida International Airport's masterplan encompasses four development phases, with expansion triggered when the airport reaches approximately 80% of its existing capacity.4 Phase 1, featuring one runway and one terminal, will accommodate 12 million passengers annually.5 Subsequent phases will expand capacity to 30 million, 50 million, and ultimately 70 million passengers per year. "A lot of modularity has been built in to the design of the airport so we can expand as we need to," says Wicki. "We’ve also baked in flexibility, so we can convert some of the domestic area into international area in future, if the split between domestic and international passengers develops differently from what we’ve anticipated.” Schenk adds, "Anticipated traffic tells us that within less than five years the terminal expansion will need to be initiated as well, adding another 18 million capacity, so we’ve started the planning and tendering for Phase 2 already. We have a clear plan going forward.”
Navigating Challenges and Embracing Innovation
The project faced challenges, particularly during the pandemic.6 "A greenfield airport is challenging enough as everything needs to be built from scratch, but we had to do much of our work during an international lockdown,” says Wicki. Despite these hurdles, the team persevered, leveraging technology and collaboration. NIA is also embracing innovation with a focus on paperless travel.7 "Basically, all our passenger touchpoints, from terminal entry, check-in and baggage drops through to security and boarding gates, will be biometrically enabled, so you can move through all these just using your face," says Wicki. "We’re looking to take things further and enable touchless and paperless operations when it comes to parking, too. Using license-plate recognition and QR-code payment we can entirely eliminate the need for a paper ticket.”
State-of-the-Art Security and Sustainable Operations
Security is paramount at NIA. "One of the key challenges in aviation security is the rapid evolution of aviation security technologies. However, as a greenfield project, NIA has the advantage of building strong security fundamentals from the ground up," says Ajesh Verma, the airport’s head of security. NIA will feature advanced security infrastructure, including an automated tray retrieval system (ATRS) for cabin baggage screening, an in-line hold baggage system, and 24/7 CCTV surveillance with AI-based threat detection. The airport is also committed to sustainability, aiming for net zero emissions by 2030.8 "We will start with 56% of our energy coming from sustainable sources and then gradually, as we get to know our airport’s energy demands, we can optimize the overall system to get to 100%," says Schenk. NIA will utilize natural lighting, optimize water usage, and harvest rainwater.
Noida International Airport represents a significant step forward for Indian aviation, combining cutting-edge technology, passenger-centric design, and a commitment to sustainability.9 As India's aviation market continues to expand, NIA is poised to play a crucial role in shaping the future of air travel in the region.
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