One in five domestic airports saw two or fewer daily flights between April and November: AAI data

(Representative Airport)

Nearly one-fifth of India’s domestic-only airports handled an average of two or fewer aircraft movements a day between April and November 2025, data from the Airports Authority of India (AAI) shows, raising fresh questions about the viability of several facilities and the effectiveness of the government’s regional connectivity scheme (RCS).

Of the 143 airports handling only domestic flights, 29 recorded either no flight movements at all or no more than 480 flights during the eight months, translating to an average of just two movements a day, reported Economics Times.

When the threshold is raised slightly to around three daily movements, or 720 flights over the same period, the number of airports climbs to 40.

The data highlights that five airports, Tezpur, Azamgarh, Pakyong, Shravasti and Kanpur (civil), did not record a single domestic flight movement during the period under review.

The situation appeared even starker in November, when nine airports saw no domestic flights at all, many of them developed under the RCS framework. Even established destinations struggled. Shimla, a state capital and popular tourist hub, logged just 385 flight movements between April and November, nearly half the number recorded in the same period last year, effectively averaging one flight on many days.

Kushinagar, inaugurated in 2021 to strengthen connectivity to the Buddhist circuit, has virtually fallen silent. It recorded only six aircraft movements in the eight months of the current financial year, down sharply from 44 flights in the same period last year. Officials point to the lack of supporting infrastructure, which diverted much of the potential traffic to nearby Gorakhpur.

Kota, a major trading centre and a national hub for coaching institutes, also underperformed despite its apparent demand potential. Flight movements at the existing airport fell by half to just 30 flights over 240 days. The government’s recent clearance for a new greenfield airport is expected to change that outlook over time.

Moradabad, known for its brassware industry, managed only six flights during the eight months, a drop of more than 92 per cent from last year, amid weak passenger demand and the limited appeal of turboprop operations.

Ludhiana, one of India’s key industrial cities, averaged just one flight movement a day this year. Operations were constrained by a limited route network, the small size of the airport and delays in the construction of a new civilian airport.