Prayagraj Airport Announces Six-Day Winter Flight Schedule With Saturday Halts

Prayagraj’s civil airport will transition to a six-day winter flight schedule starting October 25, offering 21 weekly services to five major cities while keeping Saturday as a no-fly day . The revised timetable aims to restore regional connectivity following a period of reduced flight frequencies that had previously left the facility without weekend operations .

The upcoming winter schedule marks a shift from recent months where frequency cuts had completely eliminated Saturday operations at the civil enclave . Airlines are currently recalibrating their routes to balance passenger demand and operational costs, notably adjusting services in response to fluctuating aviation turbine fuel prices . For instance, Akasa Air is resuming daily Mumbai-Prayagraj flights from October 1, having previously restricted the route to Mondays due to high fuel costs .

Under the new timetable, flights will connect the city to Bengaluru, Mumbai, Bhubaneswar, Hyderabad, and New Delhi . Sunday will be the busiest day with five departures, followed by four each on Monday and Tuesday, three on Thursday and Friday, and two on Wednesday . Specific Monday departures include flights to Bengaluru at 2:50 pm, Mumbai at 3:15 pm, Bhubaneswar at 3:40 pm, and New Delhi at 4:00 pm, while Hyderabad flights on Tuesday and Thursday are scheduled for 12:55 pm .

IndiGo is introducing four new weekly services from October 25, adding Mumbai flights on Monday and Wednesday, a Hyderabad flight on Tuesday, and a Bengaluru flight on Friday . However, the carrier will discontinue its Thursday service to Bhubaneswar . This restoration of services is significant for the airport, which recorded only 184 aircraft movements and 26,776 arriving and departing passengers in August .

The restoration of daily Mumbai services and the addition of new routes indicate a gradual recovery in passenger demand across the region. However, the complete absence of Saturday flights suggests that airlines are still optimizing their weekly load factors and avoiding marginal routes on weekends to maintain profitability. Furthermore, the discontinuation of the Thursday Bhubaneswar route highlights the ongoing volatility in regional connectivity, where carriers frequently prune less profitable sectors to manage operational expenses.

As the winter season approaches, airport officials have cautioned that dense fog could necessitate further changes to flight timings . Passengers are advised to verify their flight statuses with respective airlines before travelling to the terminal to avoid disruptions caused by adverse weather conditions .