A recent RTI reply has revealed a surprising situation regarding air travel in Uttar Pradesh. While the government launched several new airports after 2021 to connect smaller cities, data shows that regular commercial flights have stopped at six out of seven of these new airports. While airports in smaller towns are waiting for passengers and airlines, established airports like Kanpur and Ayodhya are seeing a massive rush of travelers.
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Which Airports are Closed and Why?
According to the information received under the Right to Information (RTI), flights are currently suspended at major regional airports including Kushinagar, Azamgarh, and Moradabad. The primary reason for this suspension is the lack of passengers and the end of the Viability Gap Funding (VGF) support. Under the UDAN scheme, the government provided subsidy support for three years, and after this period ended, airlines stopped services due to financial losses.
| Airport Name | Date Stopped | Main Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Kushinagar | Nov 7, 2023 | Low passengers & ILS issues |
| Azamgarh | Nov 23, 2024 | Very low passenger count |
| Aligarh | April 2025 | Lack of commercial demand |
| Chitrakoot | Dec 16, 2024 | Visibility & connectivity issues |
| Shravasti | Dec 24, 2024 | Closed after 6 months |
| Moradabad | Nov 2024 | Services suspended by operator |
Huge Growth in Ayodhya and Kanpur
While the new regional airports are facing a tough time, the older and expanded airports in the state are breaking records. Ayodhya Airport has emerged as a major success, handling over 11 lakh passengers in the 2024-25 period due to high religious tourism. Similarly, Kanpur Airport recorded a 165% increase in passenger traffic after its new terminal became operational in May 2023. Agra Airport also saw a massive 247% jump in travelers.
There is still hope for the closed routes as new airlines like ‘Shankh Air’ and ‘Al Hind Air’ have received the necessary NOCs. Officials expect that these new players might restart operations on these routes soon to improve last-mile connectivity in the state.
