45-day countdown for Noida’s Jewar airport launch after key security nod

Noida International Airport has received security clearance from the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), approving the airport’s core security framework, including the bomb threat contingency plan (BTCP) and anti-hijack contingency plan (AHCP).

With BCAS approval, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is expected to conduct a final inspection and issue the aerodrome licence, possibly within a week.

Once the licence is issued, domestic passenger flights and cargo operations are expected to begin within 45 days, while international operations are likely from September.

Christoph Schnellmann, a Swiss national, serves as CEO. Officials emphasized that having an expat CEO will not delay airport operations. A source said, “We take pride in having people like Satya Nadella and Sundar Pichai at top positions in the world’s biggest tech companies that handle critical security tasks globally. We can't frown on having expat CEOs.”

Airlines such as IndiGo, Air India, and Akasa Air are expected to open ticket bookings once the aerodrome licence is in hand. The first phase infrastructure is ready to handle 12 million passengers annually.

Terminal building, air traffic control tower, runway, and other airside infrastructure are ready. CISF took over airport security last year, with residential facilities developed for its personnel.

A 750-metre access road linking the airport to Yamuna Expressway is ready. The multimodal cargo hub infrastructure is complete, and cargo services are expected to start alongside domestic flights.