India’s newest greenfield airport, Manohar International Airport in Mopa, also known as New Goa Airport, has commenced commercial operations – having officially been inaugurated by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in December.
The first flight operated by low-fare carrier IndiGo Airlines landed at the airport on 5 January, with Go First and Akasa Air also operating air links from the regional hub. In addition, the airport will receive unscheduled charter flights, which cannot secure slots to land at nearby Dabolim Airport.
IndiGo is scheduled to operate domestic flights to eight destinations from the new airport – including to Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Mumbai and Pune. Earlier statements from the low-fare carrier said it will introduce 12 daily and an overall total of 168 weekly flights to and from Goa’s second airport.
Go First, which also began services from the airport on 5 January, has announced it will fly 42 weekly flights from Goa Mopa to three cities in India – Mumbai, Bangalore and Hyderabad. Meanwhile Akasa Air will begin flying to and from the airport on 11 January, offering connections to Bengaluru and Mumbai.
Costing an estimated ₹2,870 crore, the airport has been built with sustainability at its core. It features a solar power plant, LED lighting on the runway, rainwater harvesting and a state-of-the-art sewage treatment plant with recycling facilities, among other facilities. The airport has also been built to handle some of the world’s largest aircraft with 14 parking bays and features self bag drop facilities.
