Indigo launches Inaugural flight from Vijayawada to Varanasi & Kolkata
Airports Authority of India (AAI) at Vijayawada International Airport today announced the successful launch of IndiGo’s new flight operations on the Vijayawada-Varanasi-Kolkata sector, starting today,13 August 2026.
The inaugural ceremony was held at the Vijayawada International Airport which was attended virtually by the Union Minister of Civil Aviation, Mr Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu while Mr Vallabhaneni Balashowry, MP of Machilipatnam along with Mr Kesineni Sivanath, MP of Vijayawada, and Mr Yarlagadda Venkata Rao, MLA of Gannavaram attended the ceremony in person.
The flight shall operate 3 days a week i.e. on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.
As per AAI the inaugural day saw robust passenger traffic, with 89 passengers arriving at Vijayawada Airport from Varanasi, and 129 passengers departing from Vijayawada Airport for Varanasi.
Giving the keynote address, the Union Minister congratulated IndiGo for establishing this vital connection.
Hub & Spoke Model
He reaffirmed the Ministry of Civil Aviation dedication to boosting Vijayawada’s connectivity, revealing that the airport will soon link to additional domestic and international destinations, including Pune, Ahmedabad, and Cochin.
The Minister also announced the upcoming launch of Hub & Spoke operations. Under this model, Vijayawada Airport will serve as a spoke to major international hub airports.
Passengers will benefit from completing all customs and immigration formalities directly at Vijayawada International Airport before transferring flights at the hub.
Furthermore, he noted that efforts are underway to complete the New Integrated Terminal Building at the earliest, which will beautifully reflect local art and culture.
Sea Plane Ops
Looking ahead, the Minister highlighted future sea-plane operations planned for Prakasam Barrage, Srisailam, Hussain Sagar and Nagarjuna Sagar.
During the event, regional leaders voiced key development requests.
Mr Kesineni requested the Union Minister to initiate flights to Cochin to cater to the high demand from Sabarimala pilgrims.
Similarly, Mr Balashowry and Mr Yarlagadda strongly advocated for the swift commencement of flights to Dubai to seamlessly link the region to worldwide destinations via Emirates.
Some of the other dignitaries in attendance included Mr Samir Kumar Singh, Secretary (Civil Aviation) and Mr R.K. Singh, Special Director IndiGo and Mr K. Ramachary (Executive Director Engg.–Project, AAI), Mr M. Lakshmi Kantha Reddy (Airport Director), and Mr Koushik Bishol (IndiGo Airport Manager, Vijayawada Airport). (attended in person).
New Flight Schedule
Kolkata ➔ Varanasi ➔ Vijayawada: (flight No.6E 6501) Departs Kolkata at 02:15 PM | Arrives Varanasi at 03:25 PM o Departs Varanasi at 03:55 PM | Arrives Vijayawada at 05:50 PM
Vijayawada ➔ Varanasi ➔ Kolkata: (flight No.6E 6502) Departs Vijayawada at 06:20 PM | Arrives Varanasi at 08:15 PM o Departs Varanasi at 08:50 PM | Arrives Kolkata at 10:15 PM
