Noida International Airport Begins Operations; 172 Farmers Who Gave Land Board First Flight

Noida International Airport in Jewar officially started its commercial operations on June 15, 2026. Among the initial flights from the airport, one took off for Lucknow carrying 172 farmers, including 20 women, who gave their ancestral land for the airport project. Here’s everything you need to know about it.

First Carrying Farmers Take Off From Noida International Airport 

According to NDTV, 172 farmers, including 20 women, boarded one of the first flights from the much-anticipated Noida International Airport on June 15. The move was a symbolic tribute to the people whose ancestral land was acquired for the project. The delegation, led by Jewar MLA Dhirendra Singh, left for Lucknow at 8 am.

Before boarding the flight, the group of farmers also met Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The delegation included not just farmers who gave up their land, but also women and agricultural workers affected by the project, including some whose land was not directly acquired.

Also Read: PM Modi Inaugurates Noida International Airport; Says, One Plane Will Take Off Every 2 Minutes

Many Farmers Boarded A Flight For The First Time

According to The Indian Express, many farmers were delighted to board a flight for the first time in their lives. Several of them were also enthusiastic about the development taking place on their land. The airport, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in March, is the second international airport in the NCR. Once fully complete, it is expected to become one of Asia’s largest airports and compete with major aviation hubs in the region.

Reportedly, the initial flights from Noida International Airport will connect passengers to five destinations, including Amritsar, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Jammu, and Navi Mumbai. International flight operations are also expected to begin before the end of the year. The airport has set a target of handling five million passengers in its first year of operations. Once fully developed, it is expected to have the capacity to handle 70 million passengers annually. 

Also Read: Noida International Airport Gets Dedicated Uber Pick-Up Zone; A Seamless Travel Solution For Passengers

How excited are you about the new airport in NCR? Do you think this aviation hub will help reduce pressure on IGI Airport in Delhi?

Cover Image Courtesy:@SwissAmbIND/X and @AviationAll_/X