Air India, AI Express begin Guwahati T2 ops; first flight lands with laru, gamusa
Officials said ground teams of both airlines have been deployed at the new terminal to ensure seamless passenger support and operations
A file image of an Air India flight on the runway. Picture used for representational purpose only. (Photo:X)
Guwahati, Mar 17: Air India and Air India Express has commenced flight operations from the newly inaugurated Terminal 2 (T2) at Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in Guwahati, marking a major boost to air connectivity in the Northeast.
The first Air India flight to arrive at the new terminal was AI 879 from Delhi, which landed on Tuesday morning. Its return leg, AI 880 to Delhi, became the airline’s inaugural departure from T2.
To mark the occasion, Air India added a cultural touch for passengers on the inaugural flight, serving traditional Assamese sweet narikolor laru onboard, while the first check-in passenger was honoured with a gamusa.
Air India Express also began operations from the new terminal, with flight IX 1517 from Kolkata becoming its first arrival at T2. The onward flight to Imphal marked the airline’s maiden departure from the facility.
At present, Air India operates two daily return flights between Delhi and Guwahati, while Air India Express runs 17 daily services connecting Guwahati to multiple destinations including Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Dibrugarh, Dimapur, Hyderabad, Imphal, Jaipur and Kolkata.
Officials said ground teams of both airlines have been deployed at the new terminal to ensure seamless passenger support and operations.
The operationalisation of T2 is expected to significantly enhance regional connectivity, while also boosting tourism and economic activity in Assam and the wider Northeast.
The terminal, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 20, 2025, has been built at an estimated cost of Rs 4,000 crore and is designed to handle up to 13.1 million passengers annually.
Meanwhile, the Assam government has already begun planning for another terminal at Guwahati’s main aviation hub.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had said ahead of the T2 inauguration that planning for a second new terminal was already underway.
With expanded passenger facilities, modern infrastructure and improved operational capacity, the new terminal is expected to ease congestion at the existing airport and improve overall travel experience.