HYDERABAD- Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) faces a significant gap between passenger demand and available international flights to the UK and the US.
Data from airport authorities reveals that nearly two million travelers flew from Hyderabad (HYD) to international destinations in 2023-24. However, RGIA offers only a limited number of direct international flights.
Hyderabad Airport Eyes US and UK Flights
The airport currently lacks direct connections to major global destinations, including the United States, African countries, Australia, Vietnam, and Indonesia. This absence of direct flights stands in stark contrast to the high passenger volumes.
American cities, in particular, attract a substantial number of travelers from Hyderabad. Over one million passengers journeyed to destinations like Dallas, Washington DC, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Atlanta, and Houston in the last financial year.
The demand for direct US flights has sparked community action. Recently, 5,500 Telugu individuals signed a petition urging Air India (AI) to establish a direct route between Hyderabad and Dallas (DFW). This Texas city boasts one of the largest populations of Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
Hyderabad’s international air connectivity lags behind passenger demand, with only one direct flight to the UK despite nearly 500,000 travelers visiting in the last financial year. This contrasts sharply with Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru, which offer at least three daily UK flights each.
An RGIA official highlighted Hyderabad’s unique travel demographic, noting, “Hyderabad airport serves a large student population and robust demand for leisure, education, and business travel.”
The city ranks third after Delhi and Mumbai in U.S.-bound passengers but is without direct flights, with similar trends for Europe and Australia.
Travel Agents Remarks
Travel agents urge the state government to address this issue with the Ministry of Civil Aviation and international airlines.
Abdul Majeed Faheem, chairman of the Travel Agents Federation (Hyderabad), pointed out recent service reductions to TOI, stating, “Several airlines have discontinued direct flights from Hyderabad to Vietnam and the Maldives, citing low passenger numbers. A twice-weekly Hyderabad-Chicago direct flight, operating before the pandemic, has also been terminated.”
Faheem added that Turkish Airlines (TK) has long expressed interest in establishing a Hyderabad-Istanbul route, but plans have not materialized.
Travel agent Moez Meghani calls for increased focus on Hyderabad, suggesting airlines conduct thorough market research to assess international travel demand and introduce direct flights on high-demand routes.
Also Read, Delta Requested to Start New Flights from Atlanta to Hyderabad – Aviation A2Z
Struggle for Travelers
The lack of direct international flights from Hyderabad poses significant challenges for travelers, forcing them to endure longer journey times and multiple connections.
Airlines currently prioritize Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, and Bengaluru for direct flights to the US, UK, and Australia, while Hyderabad’s direct flight focus remains on the Middle East. Industry experts suggest expanding this base to meet growing demand.
The absence of direct flights forces Hyderabad passengers to endure layovers in Mumbai, Delhi, Dubai, London, and Singapore. This situation significantly increases travel time and inconvenience for international travelers.
B Srinivas, a frequent flier with family ties to the US, emphasizes the potential benefits of direct flights. “Direct flights to Dallas would reduce travel time by six to eight hours,” he states, highlighting the substantial time savings for passengers.
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