Air India launched “Easy Connect,” India’s first hub-and-spoke international flight service, from Varanasi on 25 June 2026. This was folded into the airline’s full profile once that article was written.
What Hub-and-Spoke Actually Changes
- ConceptIn a Hub-and-Spoke model, a “spoke” airport is itself an international airport. Passengers complete immigration, customs, and check-in there, not at the hub.
- ContrastUnder the older model, a passenger flew domestically to a hub like Delhi, then repeated check-in, security, and often immigration before the international leg. Hub-and-Spoke removes that repeat step entirely.
The Strategy Behind the Rollout
- GoalHub-and-Spoke sits under India’s International Aviation Hub Strategy. It aims to make India the preferred hub for Indian travellers by 2030, and a leading global aviation hub by 2047.
- RolloutThe model launched in phases: Varanasi (25 Jun 2026), then Amritsar (28 Jul 2026), then Ahmedabad (1 Sep 2026). It is planned to eventually cover 44 airports.
Ahmedabad became the third Hub-and-Spoke spoke airport on 1 September 2026, after Varanasi and Amritsar. Passengers there now clear immigration, check-in, and baggage screening locally, before connecting onward through Delhi to 39 destinations across two daily flights. The model is part of India’s push to become the preferred aviation hub for Indian travellers by 2030.
📖 Read the full story, including how Easy Connect fits into Air India’s history and current operations, in IndEco0116 — Air India: History, Privatisation, and Operations.
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