The Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport at Bhogapuram starts commercial operations, moving the conduct of all commercial flights from Visakhapatnam airport to the new facility. The inaugural service is marked by IndiGo and Air India Express, which sponsor the first flights, as the airport begins handling passenger and flight activity under the new setup.
Both outlets describe the airport’s first phase as focused on connectivity, including domestic and international routes. Business Line adds that the initial schedule includes flights linking Visakhapatnam with destinations across India as well as the Middle East and Southeast Asia. Times of India frames the opening in terms of expected benefits for trade and tourism in North Andhra Pradesh, while also situating the launch within GMR Airports’ broader expansion across multiple locations.
While the sources emphasize different impacts—regional economic and tourism prospects versus route and destination coverage—they agree that the airport is now operational and that commercial flight handling has shifted to Bhogapuram.
