Air India has launched its first ‘Easy Connect’ flight under the Government of India’s new hub-and-spoke aviation framework, marking a major step toward simplifying international travel for passengers across the country.
The inaugural Easy Connect service, Flight AI1111, departed from Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport in Varanasi, connecting passengers via Delhi to several international destinations including Dubai, Colombo, Jeddah, Riyadh, Kathmandu, and Phuket.
Importantly for Goan travellers, Goa has been identified as one of the next cities where Air India will roll out Easy Connect services as part of its nationwide expansion.
Government’s Hub-and-Spoke Vision
The first Easy Connect flight was inaugurated by Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, who described the initiative as a transformative step towards making international air travel more accessible for Indians.
He said the new hub-and-spoke model would allow passengers to begin their international journey directly from their home cities without the inconvenience of navigating foreign transit airports.
The launch ceremony was attended by senior officials from the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the Airports Authority of India, and Air India, including Campbell Wilson.
Goa Among Next Cities
Following Varanasi, Air India plans to progressively introduce Easy Connect flights from several Indian cities, including:
- Goa
- Ahmedabad
- Amritsar
- Chennai
- Guwahati
- Hyderabad
- Kochi
- Mumbai
- Patna
- Vadodara
- Visakhapatnam
The rollout aims to connect these cities with Air India’s international hubs in Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru, offering smoother onward connections to destinations across Europe, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and beyond.
What Makes Easy Connect Different?
The Easy Connect model simplifies international travel by allowing passengers to complete several formalities at their departure airport rather than during transit.
Key benefits include:
- Through check-in to the final international destination.
- Immigration clearance at the originating airport.
- Automatic baggage transfer without re-checking luggage.
- Faster and smoother international transit through Delhi or Mumbai.
This significantly reduces waiting time and eliminates the stress of navigating complex transit procedures at overseas airports.
DigiYatra Required
Indian passport holders using Easy Connect flights for international travel will need to enrol in the DigiYatra platform before departure.
Passengers are also required to upload their boarding passes through the DigiYatra app before travel. Web check-in and customs declarations will not be available at spoke airports under the current system.
Air India’s Transformation
Speaking at the launch, Campbell Wilson said the initiative addresses a long-standing gap in Indian aviation, where a majority of international travellers continue to transit through foreign hubs despite India becoming one of the world’s fastest-growing aviation markets.
According to Air India, nearly 25 million passengers undertake long-haul travel to and from India every year. Of these, around 17 million currently connect through overseas airports instead of Indian hubs.
The airline believes Easy Connect will encourage more passengers to use Indian airports as their primary transit gateways while offering greater convenience and a more seamless travel experience.
Bookings for Easy Connect flights are now open through Air India’s website, mobile app, contact centre and authorised travel agents.
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