Government Proposes 44-Airport Hub-and-Spoke Model to Expand Air Connectivity.

The government is planning to develop a network of 44 airports, including four major hub airports, to strengthen seamless international air connectivity, a senior government official said recently.

The initiative is part of the government's push to expand the hub-and-spoke model in India's aviation sector. Under this model, major hub airports will connect with smaller spoke airports, enabling passengers from regional locations to access international destinations more efficiently.

Air India recently launched hub-and-spoke operations from Amritsar, making it the second airport after Varanasi to be integrated into the model.

At present, Delhi is the only operational hub airport under the initiative, with Varanasi and Amritsar serving as spoke airports. Ahmedabad is expected to become the next spoke airport to join the network.

The planned expansion is aimed at improving passenger connectivity, increasing the efficiency of flight operations and strengthening India's position as a global aviation hub.