HYDERABAD- Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy visited Japan in April, where he toured Kitakyushu and held comprehensive discussions with Mayor Kazuhisa Takeuchi about establishing strategic collaboration opportunities between the two regions.
This diplomatic initiative laid the foundation for subsequent formal agreements and partnership frameworks.
Hyderabad to Kitakyushu, Japan Flight
Mayor Kazuhisa Takeuchi led a high-level delegation from Kitakyushu (KKJ) to Hyderabad (HYD) on Monday to participate in the Telangana Formation Day celebrations.
The Telangana government signed a comprehensive Memorandum of Understanding with Kitakyushu during this significant visit, establishing formal collaboration frameworks in critical areas including environmental protection, advanced waste management systems, and innovative recycling technologies.
Flight Connectivity
Officials announced ambitious plans to establish direct flight connectivity between Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (HYD) and Japan’s Kitakyushu during the high-profile delegation meeting.
Chief Minister Reddy emphasised that the state continues forging new global partnerships to undertake innovative projects that will drive sustainable development and accelerate future economic growth across multiple sectors.
Current International Network
Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (HYD) currently operates direct flights to 20 international destinations spanning multiple continents and serving diverse passenger segments.
The Middle East dominates the comprehensive route network with strategic connections to Dubai (DXB), Muscat (MCT), Doha (DOH), Abu Dhabi (AUH), Jeddah (JED), Dammam (DMM), Sharjah (SHJ), Riyadh (RUH), Kuwait (KWI), and Bahrain (BAH), catering to business travellers and expatriate communities.
Asian destinations include major commercial hubs Singapore (SIN), Kuala Lumpur (KUL), Colombo (CMB), Dhaka (DAC), Hong Kong (HKG), Bangkok (BKK), and Male (MLE), facilitating trade and tourism connections.
European connectivity extends to London (LHR) and Frankfurt (FRA), while Ras Al Khaimah (RKT) completes the current extensive international portfolio.
Record-Breaking Performance
RGIA achieved unprecedented operational milestones during the 2024-25 fiscal year, recording a remarkable 15.20 per cent year-on-year growth in total passenger traffic.
The airport successfully handled 2.13 crore passengers throughout the fiscal period, demonstrating exceptional operational efficiency while surpassing major metropolitan airports, including Chennai (MAA) and Kolkata (CCU), to secure a prominent leading position among India’s top-performing aviation hubs.
Traffic Distribution Analysis
Dubai maintains its dominant position as the most popular international destination from Hyderabad (HYD), consistently serving 93,000 monthly passengers and demonstrating strong business and leisure travel demand.
Doha follows as the second-busiest route with 42,000 monthly passengers, reflecting Qatar Airways’ strategic hub operations.
Abu Dhabi attracts 38,000 travellers monthly, while both Jeddah and Singapore each serve 31,000 passengers monthly, demonstrating robust demand across different regional markets and travel purposes, including pilgrimage, business, and tourism sectors.
Future Growth Projections
Airport authorities project passenger footfall could potentially cross 3 crore in the upcoming fiscal year if current exceptional growth trends continue at similar rates.
The planned Kitakyushu route will significantly contribute to this ambitious expansion, further strengthening Hyderabad’s strategic position as one of India’s fastest-growing aviation hubs while substantially enhancing connectivity between Telangana and important international markets across Asia and beyond.
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