Air India has announced the launch of its first ‘Easy Connect’ flights under the Government of India’s hub-and-spoke aviation model, with services from Varanasi scheduled to commence on 25 June 2026.
The new offering is designed to simplify international travel for passengers originating from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities by enabling them to complete baggage check-in and immigration formalities at their departure airport before connecting through a major hub airport.
Under the model, cities such as Varanasi serve as ‘spokes’ connected to hub airports including Delhi, allowing travellers to access Air India’s international network through coordinated flight schedules and streamlined transit processes.
Passengers travelling on Easy Connect services will be able to check in directly to their final international destination, eliminating the need to collect and re-check baggage at Delhi. Immigration formalities will also be completed at the originating airport, enabling travellers to transit through Delhi as international passengers and reducing processing time at the hub.
Air India stated that the approach is intended to provide a more seamless travel experience while allowing passengers to connect through domestic airports rather than overseas hubs.
The designated Easy Connect service from Varanasi to Delhi will operate daily as flight AI1111. The schedule has been aligned to provide onward connectivity within four hours to 17 international destinations across Europe, Southeast Asia and West Asia. These include London Heathrow, Frankfurt, Milan, Rome, Zurich, Manila, Singapore, Phuket, Kuala Lumpur, Riyadh and Dubai.
Future Easy Connect services from additional spoke airports will operate under the AI11XX flight series, creating a distinct identity for the network.
P. Balaji, Group Head – Governance, Risk, Compliance & Corporate Affairs, Air India, said: “The successful implementation of the hub-and-spoke model requires close coordination across airlines, airports, and multiple government agencies, and we are grateful for the strong collaboration that has enabled this rollout. Air India is committed to continuing to work closely with all stakeholders across the industry and the Government of India as we expand this model to more cities and phases. Together, we are building a more efficient, integrated, and globally competitive aviation ecosystem for India.”Air India plans to extend the Easy Connect network to additional cities in phases over the coming months as part of the broader implementation of the hub-and-spoke framework.
