In a key development for Pune’s air connectivity, the city’s airport has secured 15 additional daily flight slots, promising much-needed relief to both airlines and passengers grappling with long-standing congestion.
The move comes as a result of sustained efforts by Union Minister Murlidhar Mohol, who successfully negotiated the slot extension with the Indian Air Force, which jointly operates the Lohegaon airbase.The newly approved slots—effective between 6:00 am and 10:29 pm—raise the total daily capacity to 235 flights, offering airlines expanded flexibility to introduce new routes and better manage existing ones. For passengers, especially business and tech travellers, this translates into more convenient flight timings and improved access to key destinations such as Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Ahmedabad.
Union Minister Mohol confirmed the breakthrough on Saturday, expressing confidence that the expanded operations will significantly enhance the city’s aviation landscape. “This is a crucial step forward in our effort to improve Pune’s air services. While the greenfield international airport at Purandar is in the pipeline, strengthening the current facility was essential. These new slots will help decongest the airport and improve service delivery,” he said.Pune’s airport, which doubles as an Air Force station, has long faced operational limitations due to shared civil-military usage and land constraints. Civilian flights are limited to specific hours, often leading to delays and overbooking. The slot expansion addresses some of these challenges by allowing greater scheduling flexibility, particularly during peak travel hours.
The decision also responds to growing demand from airlines and the travelling public. Pune has emerged as a major technology, education, and industrial hub in western India, attracting both domestic and international footfall. However, limited slot availability had remained a bottleneck, curbing route expansions and affecting passenger experience.Industry analysts say the additional slots could pave the way for enhanced connectivity to underserved regions and secondary airports, improving regional access without relying solely on metro corridors. Moreover, it provides a critical interim solution while the ambitious Purandar airport project—aimed at handling future air traffic loads—is still under development.
At the same time, urban planners and sustainability advocates stress the need to balance expansion with environmental responsibility. As India’s civil aviation sector grows, cities like Pune must ensure that capacity upgrades are aligned with zero-carbon mobility goals, efficient land use, and multimodal connectivity to reduce the overall ecological footprint.Nonetheless, the slot increase signals a proactive shift in managing Pune’s mobility crisis through infrastructural coordination and government intervention. As airlines move to capitalise on the new capacity, passengers can expect greater travel convenience, improved service levels, and potentially lower airfares due to competitive scheduling.
In a city where airport bottlenecks had become routine, the addition of 15 new daily flight slots marks a tangible upgrade—and a timely one as the summer travel season intensifies.
