India’s Hub-and-Spoke Aviation Model: “Easy Connect”

Why in News?

India has launched the first phase of a hub-and-spoke aviation strategy to make international travel easier for passengers from Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities.

• Hub-and-spoke model – Under the system, smaller airports, known as "spokes", are connected to larger hub airports such as Delhi. 
• Passengers travelling abroad can begin their journey from a smaller city and connect seamlessly to international flights through the hub airport.
• Launched by – Ministry of Civil Aviation  

• Objectives
• Enhance international connectivity – Facilitate direct connections between Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities and international destinations.
• Minimize reliance on foreign transit hubs – At present, approximately 35% of international passengers from India transit through foreign hubs including Dubai, London, and Singapore.
• Establish India as a global aviation hub – India's geographic position between Europe and East Asia offers a significant strategic advantage.
• Optimize the utilization of existing airport infrastructure – Increase the operational efficiency of regional airports developed under the UDAN scheme.

Reference

Economic Times | Hub and Spoke Model