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What is the story about?
Adani Group on Tuesday launched scheduled commercial flight operations from Mundra Airport, with regional carrier Star Air becoming the first airline to operate services from the privately owned facility.
Until now, passengers travelling to Mundra had to fly to Bhuj or Kandla and then continue their journey by road.
Speaking at the inauguration of the new terminal, Adani Airports Holdings Ltd Director Jeet Adani said the airport would significantly improve connectivity for Mundra and would soon be linked to Gujarat's capital, Ahmedabad.
"This will open up significant connectivity from Mundra, our karmabhoomi, to the rest of India. People who live and work here are excited and look forward to greater connectivity," he said.
Regional connectivity first, narrow-body aircraft later
For now, the airport will focus on regional operations, with Star Air connecting Mundra to Mumbai, Goa, Hindon and Surat.
Jeet Adani said it is too early to expect narrow-body aircraft operations, citing industry-wide aircraft supply constraints.
"Right now, we will only have regional flights. As demand grows, narrow-body aircraft will come in," he said.
He added that airlines are already operating most of their narrow-body fleets at high utilisation levels, making capacity additions challenging.
"We are not pushing for narrow-body operations because we are letting the economics work for themselves. We are starting with Star Air, and as demand grows, we believe other airlines will follow," he said.
Third airport in Kutch
Mundra becomes the third airport in the Kutch region after Bhuj and Kandla.
Jeet Adani said he expects strong demand across most destinations connected through the new airport.
"Earlier, people had indirect connectivity, but now they will be able to fly directly to Mumbai," he said.
According to him, passenger traffic is likely to be driven by three key segments:
* Travel by Adani Group employees, partners and stakeholders
* Business and leisure travel by residents of Mundra, which has emerged as a prosperous industrial town
* Tourism to nearby attractions, including beaches and cultural sites
"I don't know the exact numbers, but we foresee these segments forming a significant part of the demand," he said.
The airport features a 1,900-metre runway capable of handling a range of passenger and cargo aircraft, along with a modern passenger terminal equipped with multiple check-in counters.
Spacious parking and passenger facilities
The launch expands Adani Group's airport portfolio, which already includes operations at Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Guwahati, Mangaluru, Thiruvananthapuram, Jaipur and Lucknow.
Developed from a private airstrip into a full-fledged commercial facility, Mundra Airport is Adani Group's first regional airport and Gujarat's 11th airport.
Until now, passengers travelling to Mundra had to fly to Bhuj or Kandla and then continue their journey by road.
Speaking at the inauguration of the new terminal, Adani Airports Holdings Ltd Director Jeet Adani said the airport would significantly improve connectivity for Mundra and would soon be linked to Gujarat's capital, Ahmedabad.
"This will open up significant connectivity from Mundra, our karmabhoomi, to the rest of India. People who live and work here are excited and look forward to greater connectivity," he said.
Regional connectivity first, narrow-body aircraft later
For now, the airport will focus on regional operations, with Star Air connecting Mundra to Mumbai, Goa, Hindon and Surat.
Jeet Adani said it is too early to expect narrow-body aircraft operations, citing industry-wide aircraft supply constraints.
"Right now, we will only have regional flights. As demand grows, narrow-body aircraft will come in," he said.
He added that airlines are already operating most of their narrow-body fleets at high utilisation levels, making capacity additions challenging.
"We are not pushing for narrow-body operations because we are letting the economics work for themselves. We are starting with Star Air, and as demand grows, we believe other airlines will follow," he said.
Third airport in Kutch
Mundra becomes the third airport in the Kutch region after Bhuj and Kandla.
Jeet Adani said he expects strong demand across most destinations connected through the new airport.
"Earlier, people had indirect connectivity, but now they will be able to fly directly to Mumbai," he said.
According to him, passenger traffic is likely to be driven by three key segments:
* Travel by Adani Group employees, partners and stakeholders
* Business and leisure travel by residents of Mundra, which has emerged as a prosperous industrial town
* Tourism to nearby attractions, including beaches and cultural sites
"I don't know the exact numbers, but we foresee these segments forming a significant part of the demand," he said.
The airport features a 1,900-metre runway capable of handling a range of passenger and cargo aircraft, along with a modern passenger terminal equipped with multiple check-in counters.
Spacious parking and passenger facilities
The launch expands Adani Group's airport portfolio, which already includes operations at Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Guwahati, Mangaluru, Thiruvananthapuram, Jaipur and Lucknow.
Developed from a private airstrip into a full-fledged commercial facility, Mundra Airport is Adani Group's first regional airport and Gujarat's 11th airport.
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