Hyderabad International Airport
Encyclopedia
Rajiv Gandhi International Airport also known as Hyderabad International Airport, is an international airport
near Shamshabad
, about 22 km (13.7 mi) south of downtown Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India
.
The airport is named after former Prime Minister of India
, Rajiv Gandhi
. It replaced the former international airport
of the city, Begumpet Airport
. Commercial flight operations began at 12:01 am on 23 March 2008. Rajiv Gandhi International Airport is the second public-private partnership venture in the Indian airports, the first being the Cochin International Airport
. For the financial year 2010-11, it was the sixth busiest airport in the country in terms of international and overall passenger traffic.
Hyderabad international airport has been named amongst the world's top five in the annual Airport Service Quality (ASQ) passenger survey along with the ones at Seoul, Singapore, Hong Kong and Beijing. In 2010, Hyderabad airport was ranked among the top airports of the world in the airport services quality (ASQ) by the global body, Airports Council International (ACI). It retained the number one position for the second year in a row among 49 airports handling 5-15 million passengers per annum (mppa).
It serves as a hub for SpiceJet
and Lufthansa Cargo
and also a focus city for Air India
, Jet Airways
, and Kingfisher Airlines
.
The airport project is a public-private joint venture between GMR Group
, Malaysia Airports
Holdings Berhad and both Government of Andhra Pradesh and Airports Authority of India
(AAI). GMR Group holds 63% of the equity, MAHB 11%, while the Government of Andhra Pradesh and Airports Authority of India each hold 13%.
It is being developed in three phases, and when completed will provide infrastructure for 40 million passengers annually. The airport is expected to be the largest in terms of area and will provide world-class facilities. After the first phase of development, the airport will accommodate 10 million passengers a year. The total cost of the project is INR 24.7 Billion (US$560 million). The airport is being built on an area of 5400 acre (21.9 km²). The airport was designed by the UK engineering design firm Arup
, which also designed Dubai Terminal 3.
1, with the capacity to handle 12 million passengers per annum has been constructed. Terminal 1 has 12 contact and 30 remote stands for aircraft parking. Other buildings, including the air traffic control
tower
, Technical Building, cargo hangars (100,000 tonnes capacity), maintenance hangars, utilities under a combined area of 35000 m² (376,736.9 sq ft) have also been developed. A 1500 car parking lot
in front of Terminal 1 is operational for the convenience of passengers and visitors to the airport. A hotel has also been constructed in this phase.
Construction of a low cost terminal commenced at the end of 2008 and will cater to half a million passengers on the lines of Singapore Changi Airport
and Kuala Lumpur International Airport
airports.
A second runway, needed before commencement of Terminal 2, will be constructed. An increase in established facilities such as hotels, offices, cargo and maintenance facilities will be undertaken. The total developed area at the end of this phase will be approximately 470000 m² (5,059,037.9 sq ft).
The ultimate master plan provides for a capacity of 40 million passengers per annum with the accompanying air and ground facilities. Further acquisition of land to the north and south will allow expansion of a third and fourth runway on demand.
The Airport is located approximately 30 km (18.6 mi) from Begumpet.
Car rental and taxi services are available at the airport. In addition, Aero Express, the airport shuttle
, is a facility provided by the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport. These buses run at 30 minutes interval to/from several points in the city and the airport between 03:30 hours and 23:30 hours, and at a 1 hour frequency between 23.30 hours to 03.30 hours. Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSTRC) also provides non air-conditioned bus services between various points in the city and the airport at much lower fares.
Other alternate modes of road access, still in planning phase with State government include:
The 11.6 km PV Narasimha Rao Expressway
, constructed at an elevated level from Mehdipatnam
to Rajendranagar
along with an underpass and trumpet interchange for providing dedicated high speed travel to the airport
, is the longest flyover
in India. There are three wide roads leading to the new airport from the city and modern taxis
and buses can shuttle passengers between the city and the airport. The Nehru Outer Ring Road
serves as a expressway
between Gachibowli
and Shamshabad
.
The Regal Broadway Project is at a nascent stage and plans are still under development. According to initial plans, the project was to be located 150 acre (0.607029 km²) in Shamshabad
, but reports suggest the entire project may be relocated since environment and development guidelines in the area do not permit commercial complexes.
The Novotel
Hyderabad Airport Hotel was opened in October 2008 with 305 rooms and suites, featuring WiFi, executive amenities, restaurants, two bars, pool and meeting rooms. The hotel also has a spa and fitness centres.
BPCL has also planned to start a vehicle fuelling station on the landside with a 24 hour convenience store.
GHIAL will invest and build connecting taxiway, apron and engine run-up bay as common facilities for the Indian Airlines' MRO. The facility in Begumpet airport handles the initial maintenance checks (including C-Checks on IA's Airbus-320 aircraft). The IA will render similar service to its aircraft as well as those belonging to Air India
at the new facility.
Lufthansa Technik has also set up MRO facilities at the airport to provide base maintenance services for Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 aircrafts. The facility will provide base maintenance services (including C- and D-checks) for Airbus A320 family and Boeing 737 aircraft - including 737 Classic and 737 NG (Next Generation). The construction of the 20,000 square meters facility: Two-bay hangars and state-of-the-art workshops have been constructed at the airport at a cost of investments exceeding Rs. 100 crores (20 million USD).
with Sabena Flight Academy
to establish an Aviation Academy at the new airport.
Over €
80 million will be invested over the next three years covering infrastructure including accommodation for more than 200 trainees per year, six full flight simulators, cabin trainers and engineering tooling.
The airport has been named as the number one airport in 5-15 million passenger category by the Airport Council International in a worldwide conducted survey.
29 October 2009, GMR Hyderabad International Airport Limited (GHIAL), has bagged the Center for Asia Pacific Aviation’s (CAPA) newly instituted award in the category, “Best Airport Environmental Performance of the Year”.
On 16 February 2011, Hyderabad's Rajiv Gandhi International Airport retained the number one position for the second year in a row among 49 airports handling 5-15 million passengers per annum (mppa), Indira Gandhi International Airport came fourth in a group of 19 airports in the 25-40 mppa category.
The rankings were done on the basis of a global airport services quality (ASQ) survey by the Airports Council International (ACI) of 153 airports, including 6 Indian ones.
International airport
An international airport is any airport that can accommodate flights from other countries and are typically equipped with customs and immigration facilities to handle these flights to and from other countries...
near Shamshabad
Shamshabad
Shamshabad is a suburban village and a mandal headquarters, located on the outskirts of Hyderabad, India.There is a railway station at Shamshabad which is part of the South Central Railway, Indian Railways.-Geography:Shamsabad is located at...
, about 22 km (13.7 mi) south of downtown Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
The airport is named after former Prime Minister of India
Prime Minister of India
The Prime Minister of India , as addressed to in the Constitution of India — Prime Minister for the Union, is the chief of government, head of the Council of Ministers and the leader of the majority party in parliament...
, Rajiv Gandhi
Rajiv Gandhi
Rajiv Ratna Gandhi was the sixth Prime Minister of India . He took office after his mother's assassination on 31 October 1984; he himself was assassinated on 21 May 1991. He became the youngest Prime Minister of India when he took office at the age of 40.Rajiv Gandhi was the elder son of Indira...
. It replaced the former international airport
International airport
An international airport is any airport that can accommodate flights from other countries and are typically equipped with customs and immigration facilities to handle these flights to and from other countries...
of the city, Begumpet Airport
Begumpet Airport
Begumpet Airport at Hyderabad, also known as Hyderabad Airport, used to be the only international airport in Andhra Pradesh, but however, it is now defunct with the opening of the Hyderabad International Airport on the 23rd March 2008. It is a civil enclave located in Begumpet...
. Commercial flight operations began at 12:01 am on 23 March 2008. Rajiv Gandhi International Airport is the second public-private partnership venture in the Indian airports, the first being the Cochin International Airport
Cochin International Airport
Cochin International Airport is an international airport located in Nedumbassery, a suburb on the outskirts of the city of Kochi about northeast of downtown Kochi, in the state of Kerala, India. It is the busiest and largest airport in the state of Kerala...
. For the financial year 2010-11, it was the sixth busiest airport in the country in terms of international and overall passenger traffic.
Hyderabad international airport has been named amongst the world's top five in the annual Airport Service Quality (ASQ) passenger survey along with the ones at Seoul, Singapore, Hong Kong and Beijing. In 2010, Hyderabad airport was ranked among the top airports of the world in the airport services quality (ASQ) by the global body, Airports Council International (ACI). It retained the number one position for the second year in a row among 49 airports handling 5-15 million passengers per annum (mppa).
It serves as a hub for SpiceJet
SpiceJet
SpiceJet is a low-cost airline headquartered in Gurgaon, India. It began service in May 2005 and by 2008, it was India's second-largest low-cost airline in terms of market share. SpiceJet was voted as the best low-cost airline in South Asia and Central Asia region by Skytrax in...
and Lufthansa Cargo
Lufthansa Cargo
Lufthansa Cargo AG is a cargo airline from Germany, operating worldwide air freight and logistics services on behalf of Lufthansa, of which it is a wholly owned subsidiary. The company is headquartered in Building 451 of the Frankfurt Airport area in Frankfurt, the major hub of Lufthansa...
and also a focus city for Air India
Air India
Air India is the flag carrier airline of India. It is part of the government of India owned Air India Limited . The airline operates a fleet of Airbus and Boeing aircraft serving Asia, Australia, Europe and North America. Its corporate office is located at the Air India Building at Nariman...
, Jet Airways
Jet Airways
Jet Airways is a major Indian airline based in Mumbai, Maharashtra. It is India's largest airline and the market leader in the domestic sector. It operates over 400 flights daily to 76 destinations worldwide. Its main hub is Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, with secondary hubs at Delhi,...
, and Kingfisher Airlines
Kingfisher Airlines
Kingfisher Airlines is an airline group based in India. Its head office is Kingfisher House in Vile Parle , Mumbai. Kingfisher Airlines, through its parent company United Breweries Group, has a 50% stake in low-cost carrier Kingfisher Red....
.
Development
Design and construction began in September 2005 and the airport was opened in March 2008.The airport project is a public-private joint venture between GMR Group
GMR Group
GMR Group is a major infrastructure company in India which is headquartered in Bangalore. The company was founded in 1978 by Grandhi Mallikarjuna Rao The core business areas of the company include airports, energy and highways; apart from having presence in the agriculture and aviation sectors...
, Malaysia Airports
Malaysia Airports
Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad is a Malaysian airport company that manages most of the airports in Malaysia. The firm was recently awarded the duty to manage airports in international destinations...
Holdings Berhad and both Government of Andhra Pradesh and Airports Authority of India
Airports Authority of India
The Airports Authority of India is an organization working under the Ministry of Civil Aviation that manages most of the airports in India. The AAI manages and operates 126 airports including 16 international airports, 89 domestic airports and 26 civil enclaves. The corporate headquarters are at...
(AAI). GMR Group holds 63% of the equity, MAHB 11%, while the Government of Andhra Pradesh and Airports Authority of India each hold 13%.
It is being developed in three phases, and when completed will provide infrastructure for 40 million passengers annually. The airport is expected to be the largest in terms of area and will provide world-class facilities. After the first phase of development, the airport will accommodate 10 million passengers a year. The total cost of the project is INR 24.7 Billion (US$560 million). The airport is being built on an area of 5400 acre (21.9 km²). The airport was designed by the UK engineering design firm Arup
Arup
Arup is a global professional services firm headquartered in London, United Kingdom which provides engineering, design, planning, project management and consulting services for all aspects of the built environment. The firm is present in Africa, the Americas, Australasia, East Asia, Europe and the...
, which also designed Dubai Terminal 3.
First phase
In the first phase of development, the 105300 m² (1,133,439.8 sq ft) TerminalAirport terminal
An airport terminal is a building at an airport where passengers transfer between ground transportation and the facilities that allow them to board and disembark from aircraft....
1, with the capacity to handle 12 million passengers per annum has been constructed. Terminal 1 has 12 contact and 30 remote stands for aircraft parking. Other buildings, including the air traffic control
Air traffic control
Air traffic control is a service provided by ground-based controllers who direct aircraft on the ground and in the air. The primary purpose of ATC systems worldwide is to separate aircraft to prevent collisions, to organize and expedite the flow of traffic, and to provide information and other...
tower
Control tower
A control tower, or more specifically an Air Traffic Control Tower , is the name of the airport building from which the air traffic control unit controls the movement of aircraft on and around the airport. Control towers are also used to control the traffic for other forms of transportation such...
, Technical Building, cargo hangars (100,000 tonnes capacity), maintenance hangars, utilities under a combined area of 35000 m² (376,736.9 sq ft) have also been developed. A 1500 car parking lot
Parking lot
A parking lot , also known as car lot, is a cleared area that is intended for parking vehicles. Usually, the term refers to a dedicated area that has been provided with a durable or semi-durable surface....
in front of Terminal 1 is operational for the convenience of passengers and visitors to the airport. A hotel has also been constructed in this phase.
Construction of a low cost terminal commenced at the end of 2008 and will cater to half a million passengers on the lines of Singapore Changi Airport
Singapore Changi Airport
Singapore Changi Airport , Changi International Airport, or simply Changi Airport, is the main airport in Singapore. A major aviation hub in Southeast Asia, it is about north-east from the commercial centre in Changi, on a site....
and Kuala Lumpur International Airport
Kuala Lumpur International Airport
Kuala Lumpur International Airport , or KLIA serves the capital city of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, and is one of Southeast Asia's largest airports. It is also Malaysia's main international airport. It is situated in the Sepang district, in the south of the state of Selangor, about from Kuala Lumpur...
airports.
Second phase
In the second phase of the airport development, Terminal 1 will be expanded to an area of 250000 m² (2,690,977.6 sq ft) to cater to the growing demand. Post expansion, the terminal building will have 54 stands for aircraft parking. The low cost terminal will also be expanded to its full capacity of 1.5 m passengers per annum.A second runway, needed before commencement of Terminal 2, will be constructed. An increase in established facilities such as hotels, offices, cargo and maintenance facilities will be undertaken. The total developed area at the end of this phase will be approximately 470000 m² (5,059,037.9 sq ft).
Final phase
The airport will reach its full maturity after the third phase. An additional floor area of 430000 m² (4,628,481.5 sq ft) will be developed bringing the total built-up area to 900000 m² (9,687,519.4 sq ft).The ultimate master plan provides for a capacity of 40 million passengers per annum with the accompanying air and ground facilities. Further acquisition of land to the north and south will allow expansion of a third and fourth runway on demand.
Passenger conveniences
Like all major airports, Hyderabad offers a host of passenger conveniences, including:- Ticketing Services (Flight/Bus/Train tickets)at arrival hall and at departure levels
- Meet & Greet
- Left Luggage, Courier Counters
- Option of booking excess baggage as Air Freight
- Communications
- Conference facilities
- Restaurants and bars
- Lounges
- Shops
- Prayer room
- Nap and Shower(plaza premium lounge
- Medicare (Apollo Hospitals)
- Novotel Hyderabad Airport
- Wi-fi Internet
- Smoking lounge
- Porter services
Cargo terminal
The state-of-the-art cargo terminal at the airport has implemented a concept of an Integrated Cargo Facility housing both domestic and international facilities under one roof. The Air Cargo Complex has a built-in area of 14,330 Sq meters. The Air Cargo Complex is a modular building with a capacity to handle cargo throughput of 100,000 MT annually. The Air Cargo has dedicated cargo apron facilities both for handling regular and freighter operations.Passenger airlines
Cargo
Connectivity
Car rental and taxi services are available at the airport. In addition, Aero Express, the airport shuttle
Airport bus
An airport bus, or airport shuttle bus or airport shuttle is a bus or coach used to transport people to/from, or within airports. These vehicles will usually be equipped with larger luggage space, and incorporate special branding....
, is a facility provided by the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport. These buses run at 30 minutes interval to/from several points in the city and the airport between 03:30 hours and 23:30 hours, and at a 1 hour frequency between 23.30 hours to 03.30 hours. Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSTRC) also provides non air-conditioned bus services between various points in the city and the airport at much lower fares.
Other alternate modes of road access, still in planning phase with State government include:
- Metro rail extension from Falaknuma to Shamshabad
- Dedicated airport train from Secunderabad to airport 40 km (24.9 mi) stretch with travel time of around 25 minutes
The 11.6 km PV Narasimha Rao Expressway
Hyderabad Elevated Expressways
The Government of Andhra Pradesh has proposed two elevated expressways within the city of Hyderabad, India to ensure a hassle-free drive for commuters.-P.V. Narasimha Rao Elevated Expressway:...
, constructed at an elevated level from Mehdipatnam
Mehdipatnam
Mehdipatnam is a major suburb in Hyderabad, India. It provides connectivity to the Rajiv Gandhi Intl. Airport through PV Narasimha Rao Elevated Expressway Corridor from major suburbs like Banjara Hills, Ameerpet, Begumpet, Kukatpally, Nampally, Musheerabad etc....
to Rajendranagar
Rajendranagar
Rajendranagar is a suburb, a municipality and a mandal in Rangareddi district in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.-Demographics: India census, Rajendranagar had a population of 143,184. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Rajendranagar has an average literacy rate of 55%,...
along with an underpass and trumpet interchange for providing dedicated high speed travel to the airport
Hyderabad International Airport
Rajiv Gandhi International Airport also known as Hyderabad International Airport, is an international airport near Shamshabad, about south of downtown Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India....
, is the longest flyover
Overpass
An overpass is a bridge, road, railway or similar structure that crosses over another road or railway...
in India. There are three wide roads leading to the new airport from the city and modern taxis
Taxicab
A taxicab, also taxi or cab, is a type of vehicle for hire with a driver, used by a single passenger or small group of passengers, often for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of their choice...
and buses can shuttle passengers between the city and the airport. The Nehru Outer Ring Road
Outer Ring Road (Hyderabad)
The Outer Ring Road or ORR is a 158 kilometer, 8-lane ring road expressway encircling the City of Hyderabad, AP, India. It is built by HMDA at a cost of Rs.6696 crores. with an assistance of Rs 3,123 crores from Japan International Cooperation Agency. The expressway is designed for speeds of 120...
serves as a expressway
Controlled-access highway
A controlled-access highway is a highway designed exclusively for high-speed vehicular traffic, with all traffic flow and ingress/egress regulated...
between Gachibowli
Gachibowli
Gachibowli is a major IT suburb of Hyderabad, located in the Serilingampally mandal of the Rangareddy district. It is situated about 5 km away from HITEC City, another IT hub. Both these suburbs lie on the north-west part of Hyderabad city.-Economy:...
and Shamshabad
Shamshabad
Shamshabad is a suburban village and a mandal headquarters, located on the outskirts of Hyderabad, India.There is a railway station at Shamshabad which is part of the South Central Railway, Indian Railways.-Geography:Shamsabad is located at...
.
Hospitality
The Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) plans to develop a hotel corridor called Regal Broadway to cater to an estimated five million visitors to the city travelling through the international airport in 2008.The Regal Broadway Project is at a nascent stage and plans are still under development. According to initial plans, the project was to be located 150 acre (0.607029 km²) in Shamshabad
Shamshabad
Shamshabad is a suburban village and a mandal headquarters, located on the outskirts of Hyderabad, India.There is a railway station at Shamshabad which is part of the South Central Railway, Indian Railways.-Geography:Shamsabad is located at...
, but reports suggest the entire project may be relocated since environment and development guidelines in the area do not permit commercial complexes.
The Novotel
Novotel
Novotel is a mid-scale hotel brand within the Accor group. Novotel has close to 400 hotels and resorts in 60 countries, situated in the business districts and tourist destinations of major international cities.-History:...
Hyderabad Airport Hotel was opened in October 2008 with 305 rooms and suites, featuring WiFi, executive amenities, restaurants, two bars, pool and meeting rooms. The hotel also has a spa and fitness centres.
Ground handling services
GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd. (GHIAL) has awarded ground handling concessions to two ground handlers - Al-SATs Consortium and Menzies-Bobba.Flight catering
LSG Sky Chefs and Sky Gourmet have been awarded concessions to construct, operate, maintain, manage and develop the in-flight catering facilities. They have been allocated area measuring 2.5 acres (10,117.2 m²) each to operate and maintain the necessary facilities at the airport.Aircraft fuelling
GHIAL has constructed and commissioned an Aviation Fuel Farm and Hydrant Fuelling System with State of the Art Facilities including modern automated systems within the airport area. The airport is the first in the country to introduce the 'Open Access' system allowing the air carriers to choose suppliers of their choice.Vehicle fuelling
The vehicle fuelling facilities at the airside is being operated by Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL). The facility provides fuel to all the ground handling vehicles at the airside.BPCL has also planned to start a vehicle fuelling station on the landside with a 24 hour convenience store.
Maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facilities
Greater Hyderabad International Airport Ltd (GHIAL) has signed a lease agreement with Indian Airlines for setting up a MRO facility at the airport. The existing operations at the defunct Begumpet airport are expected to be transferred to the new MRO facility.GHIAL will invest and build connecting taxiway, apron and engine run-up bay as common facilities for the Indian Airlines' MRO. The facility in Begumpet airport handles the initial maintenance checks (including C-Checks on IA's Airbus-320 aircraft). The IA will render similar service to its aircraft as well as those belonging to Air India
Air India
Air India is the flag carrier airline of India. It is part of the government of India owned Air India Limited . The airline operates a fleet of Airbus and Boeing aircraft serving Asia, Australia, Europe and North America. Its corporate office is located at the Air India Building at Nariman...
at the new facility.
Lufthansa Technik has also set up MRO facilities at the airport to provide base maintenance services for Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 aircrafts. The facility will provide base maintenance services (including C- and D-checks) for Airbus A320 family and Boeing 737 aircraft - including 737 Classic and 737 NG (Next Generation). The construction of the 20,000 square meters facility: Two-bay hangars and state-of-the-art workshops have been constructed at the airport at a cost of investments exceeding Rs. 100 crores (20 million USD).
Sabena Flight Academy
GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd signed an MoUMemorandum of understanding
A memorandum of understanding is a document describing a bilateral or multilateral agreement between parties. It expresses a convergence of will between the parties, indicating an intended common line of action. It is often used in cases where parties either do not imply a legal commitment or in...
with Sabena Flight Academy
Sabena Flight Academy
CAE Global Academy Brussels Sabena Flight Acacemy is an aviation training organisation created in 1953 and located in Steenokkerzeel . The school is now part of CAE Global Academy...
to establish an Aviation Academy at the new airport.
Over €
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
80 million will be invested over the next three years covering infrastructure including accommodation for more than 200 trainees per year, six full flight simulators, cabin trainers and engineering tooling.
Awards and accolades
On 16 February 2010, Hyderabad International Airport was ranked fifth Best Airports Globally by Airports Council International.The airport has been named as the number one airport in 5-15 million passenger category by the Airport Council International in a worldwide conducted survey.
29 October 2009, GMR Hyderabad International Airport Limited (GHIAL), has bagged the Center for Asia Pacific Aviation’s (CAPA) newly instituted award in the category, “Best Airport Environmental Performance of the Year”.
On 16 February 2011, Hyderabad's Rajiv Gandhi International Airport retained the number one position for the second year in a row among 49 airports handling 5-15 million passengers per annum (mppa), Indira Gandhi International Airport came fourth in a group of 19 airports in the 25-40 mppa category.
The rankings were done on the basis of a global airport services quality (ASQ) survey by the Airports Council International (ACI) of 153 airports, including 6 Indian ones.
Incidents and accidents
- On the airport's opening morning, a SpiceJet Airlines flight landed 50 minutes ahead of schedule, making it the first flight to ever land at the new airport. This took many of the officials aback, most of whom were waiting for the scheduled "first flight" from Lufthansa, which was set to be the first flight to land at the new airport. SpiceJet flight SG 397 from Ahmedabad to Hyderabad was scheduled to land at 12.50 am, but it touched down at 12.01 am because "the pilot decided to take off early". Airport officials were puzzled by SpiceJet's explanation that their pilots had decided to take off early though the management had agreed to fly in late. The American expat captain of SG 397 affirms that he departed from Ahmedabad at the exact time dictated by dispatch and has the flight schedule to prove it. Scheduled arrival was 12:20 am. Actual arrival was 12:15 am, only 5 minutes early. Again, these times were set by dispatch the previous day. But it was Lufthansa that arrived from Frankfurt at 12.19 am, six minutes ahead of its scheduled time, which got the official welcome as it was planned to be given to the German plane, though it was the third, as another SpiceJet plane had landed 5 minutes after flight 397.
- Also on the airport's opening morning, KLM Flight 873 inbound from Amsterdam was supposed to land at HIA, but reports indicated that KLM was unaware of the airport change, and the pilots, confused, decided to divert to New DelhiNew DelhiNew Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
. After they were denied landing at Indira Gandhi International AirportIndira Gandhi International AirportIndira Gandhi International Airport is the primary international airport of the National Capital Region of Delhi, India, situated in West Delhi, 16 km southwest of New Delhi city centre. Named after Indira Gandhi, the former Prime Minister of India, it is the busiest airport in India in...
, they diverted to MumbaiMumbaiMumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
, where they made a successful landing However, KLM denies this, saying that instead, the diversion was due to the weather being below minimum limits for landing. This is due to an observant reader of an article about the diversion who contacted Hyderabad ATC and then realised that it was the weather. - The airport validated its capability to land Airbus A380Airbus A380The Airbus A380 is a double-deck, wide-body, four-engine jet airliner manufactured by the European corporation Airbus, a subsidiary of EADS. It is the largest passenger airliner in the world. Due to its size, many airports had to modify and improve facilities to accommodate it...
aircraft when on June 16, 2011, a Dubai bound Emirates Airlines flight, EK-413 Airbus A-380 was diverted to Hyderabad as an Australian citizen required emergency medical assistance. The aircraft landed at around 4.20 am and left at 6.30 am after the passenger was shifted. On October 23, 2011, a Dubai bound Emirates Airlines flight from Bangkok was forced into landing under emergency conditions following technical problems. All 410 passengers onboard the aircraft were disembarked safely.