Rti data shows most new UP airports have already suspended operations

Uttar Pradesh’s recent push to expand its airports has stumbled. Of the seven airports that started commercial flights after 2021, six now have no scheduled flights, according to data from the Right to Information (RTI) Act. The data, accessed by India Today from the Airports Authority of India (AAI), shows that only Ayodhya airport remains operational among the newly launched facilities. The findings cast fresh scrutiny on the viability of regional aviation projects rolled out over the past four years.

Six airports grounded

Kushinagar International Airport opened on 20 October 2021 and started scheduled flights a month later. But in November 2023, operations stopped because passenger numbers dropped sharply. According to the RTI data table cited by India Today, Kushinagar recorded its peak in March 2022 with 54 scheduled flights in a month. By November 2023, when services were halted, the airport handled just six flights. Scheduled operations have remained at zero for most months through 2024 and 2025. Building Kushinagar airport cost about ₹327.30 crore, paid for by both AAI and the state government. Even after flights stopped, running costs continued, with around ₹719.89 lakh spent in 2023–24 and ₹759.35 lakh so far in 2024–25, according to the RTI response. Other airports — Azamgarh, Aligarh, Chitrakoot, Shravasti and Moradabad — also saw services suspended within months of launch. Most were inaugurated in March 2024. Azamgarh and Chitrakoot operated for eight to nine months, Moradabad for roughly three months, while Shravasti and Aligarh were discontinued shortly after opening. Ayodhya airport opened on 30 December 2023, started commercial flights on 10 January 2024, and is still operating.

Contrasting performance

The RTI findings also highlight divergent outcomes within the state’s aviation landscape. Kanpur, which already had an airport, inaugurated a newly developed civil enclave on 26 May 2023, with passenger services starting on 7 June 2023. The upgraded terminal — nearly 16 times larger than its predecessor — has recorded steady growth. Passenger numbers went up from 170,214 between June and December 2023 to 289,577 in 2024, and then to 364,075 in 2025. Building the civil enclave cost ₹122.14 crore, and ₹1.09 crore has been spent on maintenance up to September 2025, according to the RTI response. Agra airport, though not part of the post-2021 expansion list, has also maintained consistent traffic. It handled 239,758 passengers in 2025, with arrivals and departures nearly evenly split.

Broader implications

These differences raise a bigger question: Did demand studies and route planning keep up with the pace of building new airports? Uttar Pradesh has played a key role in India’s push to improve regional air travel, matching the country’s goal to grow its aviation network. But the fact that most new airports have stopped services highlights the big challenges smaller airports face, such as low passenger demand, lack of airline interest, and financial issues. Airports like Kanpur and Agra, which are established or have been upgraded, are being used steadily. In contrast, the new greenfield airports seem to have trouble attracting enough passengers over time. For policymakers, this data is an important test. Announcing new infrastructure shows ambition, but real success will depend on whether routes are viable, airlines are interested, and passenger demand stays strong. As India keeps growing its aviation sector, what happened in Uttar Pradesh shows a basic lesson for regional airports: just building runways does not ensure success.