Vijayawada Airport to adopt hub-and-spoke model with new terminal

Amaravati: Vijayawada Airport can implement a hub and spoke model, which can enable security and baggage check-in for international passengers within the airport, once the new terminal is operational, its director M Lakshmikanth Reddy said on Friday.

The Airports Authority of India (AAI), which runs the airport, has engaged a new contractor to complete the terminal, which is expected to be completed by October, he said.

“AAI gave the contract to a new contractor in June and the terminal is expected to be completed by October. The hub and spoke model can be implemented once the new terminal is operational,” Reddy said in a release issued by the Andhra Pradesh Chambers of Commerce & Industry Federation (AP Chambers).

During an interaction session at AP Chambers in Vijayawada, the airport director noted that the new terminal, equipped with multi-level operations, six aerobridges, escalators, state-of-the-art technology and ambience, will be inaugurated within a few days of its completion.

According to Reddy, the airport, located at Gannavaram, about 15 km away from Vijayawada city, currently handles 22 flights and around 2,000 passengers a day.

He said the airport has flights to many major domestic destinations and international connectivity to Singapore and Sharjah three times a week.

Further, Reddy said Fly91 is going to launch morning flights to Tirupati, which will be useful for devotees and observed that direct connectivity is required to Dubai for travellers going to Europe and America.

On cargo facilities at the airport, he said that the long-term proposal is to have an exclusive integrated cargo terminal.

Reddy underscored that the current terminal can be converted into a cargo terminal till a dedicated one is constructed.

Meanwhile, AP Chambers president P Bhaskar Rao said passengers from Vijayawada Airport need direct connectivity to Dubai and hub and spoke connectivity to major international destinations.

He also requested convenient flight timings between Vijayawada and other cities in Andhra Pradesh.

Moreover, Rao suggested having a dedicated cold storage cargo facility for perishable products.