Air India Launches ‘Easy Connect’ Flights – Bringing the World Closer to Every Indian

Air India today marked a defining milestone in the Indian aviation industry with the inauguration of its first 'Easy Connect' flight under the Government of India's new hub-and-spoke framework, launching the transformative model aimed at linking the length and breadth of India seamlessly with the world, and vice versa.

Milestone for Indian Aviation
- Air India inaugurated its first Easy Connect flight (AI1111) from Varanasi to Delhi under the Government of India’s new hub-and-spoke framework.
- This model is designed to link smaller Indian cities (“spokes”) with major hubs (Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru), enabling seamless international travel.

International Connectivity
- Passengers from Varanasi can now connect onward from Delhi to 17 international destinations within four hours, including London, Rome, Milan, Frankfurt, Zurich, Dubai, Riyadh, Jeddah, Colombo, Kathmandu, and Phuket.
- The service offers through check-in, immigration clearance at the origin airport, and no baggage re-check at hubs, making travel smoother.

Leadership Voices
- Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu emphasized that this marks a major step toward accessible, future-ready aviation in India.
- Air India CEO Campbell Wilson noted that Easy Connect addresses the long-standing issue of Indian travelers relying on foreign hubs for international journeys.

Industry Impact
- Nearly 25 million passengers travel long-haul to/from India annually, with 85% currently transiting via overseas hubs.
- Easy Connect aims to retain this traffic within Indian airports, boosting convenience and national aviation competitiveness.

What’s Next
- Air India plans to roll out Easy Connect from more cities soon, including Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Chennai, Goa, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Kochi, Mumbai, Patna, Vadodara, and Visakhapatnam.

This initiative could be a game-changer for Indian aviation, shifting millions of travelers away from foreign hubs like Dubai or Doha, and strengthening India’s position as a global aviation hub.