You have been associated with this project since its inception. What does the launch day mean to you?This is an incredibly exciting week for us. Not just for me, but the entire team has been working towards this project for six years. We are all excited to welcome our first passengers on Monday.What has been the biggest challenge?We started the project just shortly before the largest (Covid-19) pandemic in living memory swooped upon us. Everyone working on this, the designers, the partners from the govt, managed to clear this turbulence and many others relatively quickly and progressively.What sets NIA apart from other international terminals?We want passengers to feel at home in northern India, in western UP. The design, the materials, the food, the retail — all of it draws from the rich architectural and cultural heritage of this region. There will be an international offering, of course, but also a deeply local one. And underpinning all of it is Zurich Airport’s 75 years of experience operating airports across the world.What lessons from international airports have shaped the design and operations here?Zurich Airport, the promoter of NIA, has operated Switzerland’s largest international airport for over 75 years and 10 others across the world. We have tried to bring that experience to bear in the terminal’s design and passenger experience to make sure the building is easy to navigate and that every process runs smoothly.Only two domestic carriers will operate from NIA initially. What is NIA doing to attract more airlines?IndiGo begins operations on June 15, with Akasa joining the following day. By July, we expect the number of routes to expand significantly. Between them, the two airlines will serve 17 to 18 destinations across India. The response from other airlines has been strong. We believe deeply in this catchment area and in the traffic growth it will generate.When will international flight operations start?We plan to start international operations later this year.Project-affected families demand jobs through the concessionaire and not through third parties. How to resolve this?From day one, job creation and economic growth in this region have been among the guiding principles. We are operating the airport with 80 to 90 partner firms. In each field, we have chosen one of India’s leading companies that brings its expertise and experience to the project. In many cases, these firms employ tens of thousands of people across India and the world. What we want is to match anyone who wants to work at the airport with the right partner, based on the work they want to do and the skills they bring.What is the plan to strengthen the public transport system?Every passenger will find a quick and easy way to reach the airport or to reach home from the airport, for whatever budget they may have. We have been working with various state road transportation companies — UP, Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan and others — to provide bus transportation. There’ll be app taxis, rental cars and more luxury taxis available too.Any work that needs to be wrapped up before launch?The airport is ready for operations from Monday. As the airport develops in phases, work will continue for the next 20 or 30 years. An airport is always a construction site, and that’s certainly the case here. As we expand, new infrastructure and new spaces will open for passengers.
