Air India has launched its ‘Easy Connect’ services from Ahmedabad, connecting travellers from Gujarat to 26 international destinations through Delhi. The move is part of the Government of India’s hub-and-spoke initiative aimed at strengthening India's international air connectivity through domestic hubs.

Ahmedabad now joins Amritsar and Varanasi in Air India's growing Easy Connect network. The service is designed to make international travel easier for passengers from Gujarat by allowing them to complete through check-in and immigration formalities at Ahmedabad before connecting through Delhi. Passengers travelling internationally through the service do not need to re-check their baggage or change terminals at Delhi. They can continue their journey as international transit passengers, avoiding repeated procedures and making the connection simpler.

Air India has designated two daily Ahmedabad-Delhi flights as Easy Connect services:

• AI1121: Departs Ahmedabad at 08:15 PM and arrives in Delhi at 10:00 PM, starting 1 September

• AI1117: Departs Ahmedabad at 08:25 AM and arrives in Delhi at 10:15 AM, starting 2 September

Together, the two services provide onward connectivity to 26 international destinations within four hours of arrival in Delhi, covering the US, Canada, the UK, Europe, Australia, Asia Pacific, Southeast Asia and the Gulf. Air India will also begin inbound Easy Connect operations to Ahmedabad soon, allowing international travellers arriving through Delhi to make seamless international-to-domestic connections for their onward journey to Ahmedabad.

The morning service AI1117 provides onward connectivity through Delhi to destinations including Shanghai, Kathmandu, Dubai, Amsterdam, Manila, Paris, Colombo, Ho Chi Minh City, Frankfurt, Vienna, London, Milan, Phuket, Kuala Lumpur, Riyadh, Birmingham, Copenhagen, Rome and Zurich. The evening service AI1121 connects onward to destinations including Singapore, Seoul, Colombo, Bangkok, Hanoi, Phuket, Dubai, Toronto, Sydney and London.

Commenting at the launch, Mr Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, Hon'ble Minister of Civil Aviation, Government of India, said: “The expansion of hub-and-spoke operations to Ahmedabad is another step forward in our vision towards building a more connected, inclusive and globally competitive aviation ecosystem. India’s aviation growth must extend beyond the major metropolitan centres and ensure that the benefits of air connectivity reach every region of the country. By linking Ahmedabad with global destinations through Indian hubs, this initiative will support trade, tourism and mobility, while advancing our vision of strengthening India’s role in global aviation.”

The inaugural event was attended by Hon’ble Chief Minister, Government of Gujarat, Shri Bhupendrabhai Patel; Hon’ble Minister of State for Civil Aviation and Cooperation, Government of India Shri Murlidhar Mohol; Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister, Government of Gujarat Shri Harsh Ramesh Kumar Sanghavi; Shri Manoj Kumar Das, Chief Secretary, Government of Gujarat; Mr. Samir Kumar Sinha, Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation; Mr. P. Balaji, Group Head - Governance, Risk, Compliance & Corporate Affairs, Air India; and Mr. Jeet Adani, Director, Adani Airport Holdings Limited, along with senior officials from government agencies, airport stakeholders and Air India.

P. Balaji, Group Head - Governance, Risk, Compliance & Corporate Affairs, Air India, said: “Ahmedabad is an important gateway for travellers from Gujarat that is home to one of the largest globally connected communities of Indians, with generations of families and entrepreneurs forging strong links with communities around the world, especially in the US, United Kingdom and Australia. The launch of ‘Easy Connect’ services from Ahmedabad is an important addition to Air India’s network and to the Government of India’s hub-and-spoke programme. By enabling through check-in, immigration clearance at the point of departure and seamless transfers through Delhi, these services simplify international travel for passengers from Gujarat. As the first airline to operationalise this vision, we are proud to support the development of India has a strong aviation hub and contribute to the continued expansion of the country’s hub-and-spoke network.”

Air India is rolling out Easy Connect services in phases, with plans to connect more domestic “spoke” cities to its primary hubs in Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru. Following Ahmedabad, Amritsar and Varanasi, several other Indian cities are expected to join the network in the coming weeks. The initiative aims to give more passengers across India access to international destinations through Indian hubs.

The Easy Connect programme is also part of a wider effort to encourage more international travellers to transit through Indian airports instead of overseas hubs. Nearly 25 million passengers travel long-haul to and from India each year, with close to 20 million being connecting travellers. At present, around 85% of these passengers, or approximately 17 million, transit through foreign hubs rather than Indian airports.

By combining the Government of India's hub-and-spoke framework with Air India's growing global network, Easy Connect aims to gradually bring a larger share of this traffic through Indian hubs.

Air India currently operates the largest international network among Indian carriers, connecting India with destinations across North America, Europe, Australia, Africa, Asia and the Middle East. Its domestic network further connects cities across India with destinations around the world.

Passengers travelling on Easy Connect flights need to complete specific pre-departure and transit procedures. Mandatory DigiYatra enrolment applies to Indian nationals, including Indian passport holders connecting internationally on Easy Connect flights. Web check-in and Customs declaration are not available at spoke airports. Bookings for Air India's Easy Connect flights are available through Air India's website, mobile app, contact centre and travel agents.