Actor, licensed pilot and aviation enthusiast Gul Panag was among the passengers who travelled on the inaugural flight to the newly opened Noida International Airport in Jewar.
Sharing photographs from the newly built airport, she expressed her excitement over witnessing an important moment in the aviation history of Delhi NCR and western Uttar Pradesh.
What made the experience even more memorable for Gul was that she returned to the airport less than 24 hours later, this time as a regular traveller.
She noted that the quick transition from an inaugural celebration to routine operations showed the airport beginning to fulfil its purpose of connecting people and places.
Sharing her experience on Instagram, Gul wrote, “There are airport inaugurations. And then, there are airport inaugurations that aviation enthusiasts wait years for.
Yesterday, I had the privilege of being on the inaugural flight into Noida International Airport, Jewar. Today, less than 24 hours later, I found myself landing there again
Something about that felt fitting.
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As someone who learnt to fly, earned a pilot’s licence, and has spent a lifetime looking up every time an aircraft passes overhead, airports have always represented far more than buildings and runways. They are symbols of aspiration, connectivity and possibility.
I’ve been following the development of Noida International Airport for some time. Having spent years travelling in and out of Delhi NCR, I’m particularly excited to see what the airport unlocks for the region. Not just in terms of aviation, but connectivity, mobility, tourism, logistics, investment and economic opportunity in the wider NCR region and across western Uttar Pradesh.
The inaugural flight was marked with a water cannon salute, the kind of aviation tradition that never gets old no matter how many times you’ve seen it.
But what struck me even more was returning the very next day as a regular traveller and seeing the airport already doing what it was built to do: connect people, places and possibilities.
For those of us who love aviation, inaugural flights are special because you’re not simply travelling from one place to another. You’re witnessing the beginning of a story.
And I have a feeling this is a story we’ll be hearing a lot more about in the years ahead. ✈️”
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The inaugural flight received a traditional water cannon salute after arriving at the airport. Such ceremonial welcomes are commonly associated with significant aviation milestones, including the launch of a new airport or the beginning of a new flight route.
For Gul, however, the most meaningful moment was not limited to the grand inaugural flight. It was seeing the airport welcome ordinary passengers the following day and begin its journey as a functioning gateway for the region.
