Jewar's Noida International Airport (NIA) is set to handle its first cargo flight on Wednesday, with the aircraft scheduled to depart on a domestic route. This development comes just days after the airport began commercial passenger operations, marking another key step in its growth as an aviation and cargo hub for northern India.
Cargo Operations and Connectivity
The airport is set to cater to domestic, international, and express cargo, while direct truck access through the Yamuna Expressway is expected to facilitate faster movement of goods. NIA has stated that its future-ready infrastructure is designed for reliable, connected, and efficient cargo operations from the heart of North India.
Infrastructure Developed by AISATS
The airport's cargo facilities have been developed by Air India SATS (AISATS) and have an initial handling capacity of 200,000 metric tonnes annually, with plans to expand this to 1.5 million tonnes. The cargo hub will use digital systems, including the IATA-recommended E-Freight platform, to simplify documentation, enable end-to-end live tracking, and support paperless movement of goods. The airport's warehousing and logistics facilities will provide greater flexibility for e-commerce companies and freight forwarders.
Facilities and Capabilities
The cargo facility includes 22,000 square metres of warehouse space and two dedicated freighter bays that will support round-the-clock operations. The hub is powered by systems such as COSYS+, e-Acceptance, and cargo community platforms to enable real-time tracking and improve operational efficiency. The facility also features 19 truck docks, nine X-ray machines, and 12 Unit Load Device roller decks, aimed at ensuring speed, security, and high throughput.
Passenger Operations Begin
The Noida International Airport began commercial flight operations earlier this week, marking a major milestone for the greenfield aviation project in Jewar. An IndiGo flight from Lucknow's Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport became the first commercial flight to land at the airport. In a symbolic gesture, around 170 farmers from the Jewar region, including 20 women, who had voluntarily given up their ancestral land for the airport project, were among the passengers on the inaugural flight to Lucknow. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had inaugurated the airport earlier on March 28.
Strategic Importance
Located in Jewar, the airport has been developed to ease passenger traffic at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport while emerging as a major aviation and cargo hub for northern India. The integration of advanced cargo systems and robust infrastructure positions NIA as a key player in the region's logistics and trade ecosystem.
