Indian Air Force Day 2025: Hindon Airport airspace closed, flights suspended; What passengers need to know

Several flights from Ghaziabad’s Hindon Airport were cancelled on Wednesday morning as the airport prepared for a full dress rehearsal ahead of the Indian Air Force’s Foundation Day celebrations, officials told The Indian Express. The flight disruptions are expected to last until 11:30 am, after which operations will return to normal.

Flights to Major Cities Affected by Temporary Airspace Closure

Hindon Airport, which currently operates over 40 daily flights to 16 cities, saw several Indigo and Air India Express services cancelled during the rehearsal period. Newly appointed Airport Director Dr Mahesh Chilaka explained to The Indian Express that flights taking off between 8:30 am and 11:30 am were suspended, with the corresponding civil airspace temporarily closed.

The affected flights connect key cities including Bengaluru, Varanasi, Patna, Chennai, Kolkata, Goa, and Bhubaneswar. Officials also noted that flights originating from other cities and scheduled to land at Hindon during the same time were similarly impacted.

Road Restrictions Implemented Near Hindon Air Force Station

Authorities announced that heavy commercial vehicles will not be allowed near Hindon Air Force Station on Wednesday. Restricted routes include Hindon River Metro Station towards Rotary Roundabout, Rotary Roundabout towards Nagdwar, Karhera Cut GT Road towards Hindon Air Force Roundabout, Mohan Nagar towards Roundabout, and Karan Gate Roundabout towards Roundabout. These measures will remain in effect for two days to ensure smooth rehearsal and celebrations.

Hindon Airport’s Gradual Expansion and Increased Connectivity

Hindon Airport opened as a commercial civil terminal on 8 March 2019 under the Government’s Regional Connectivity Scheme (UDAN), initially serving a few regional routes. The first scheduled UDAN flight from Hindon was operated by Heritage Aviation to Pithoragarh, followed by Star Air flights connecting Hubli to Hindon.

Operations gradually expanded with the entry of larger carriers. Air India Express began services from Hindon on 1 March 2025, connecting Bengaluru, Goa, and Kolkata, later expanding to Mumbai, Chennai, Patna, and Varanasi. Indigo added flights from Hindon to eight cities including Bengaluru, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Indore, Patna, and Varanasi on 20 July 2025.

Other carriers like Flybig and Star Air also operate multiple routes from Hindon, including Bhatinda, Ludhiana, Adampur, Hyderabad, Bahalgaavi, Ajmer, Nagpur, Nanded, and Pune.

Airport Preparations Highlight Growing Importance of Hindon Terminal

Officials assured passengers that flight operations will resume promptly after the rehearsal concludes, ensuring minimal disruption to daily services.

Inputs from agenices