Bhogapuram Airport begins commercial operations in Visakhapatnam

Commercial flight operations in the Visakhapatnam region have officially transitioned to the new Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport in Bhogapuram. The shift began at midnight on Monday, August 17, following the final scheduled commercial flight from the old Visakhapatnam Airport. The new facility will adopt the VTZ IATA code.

The inaugural commercial services included an IndiGo flight from Hyderabad and an Air India Express service from Bengaluru. The new terminal features 77,342 square metres of space, including 22 check-in counters, 18 self-baggage drop units, and seven aerobridges. While the old airport will cease scheduled commercial traffic, it will continue to support general aviation, defense, police operations, and VIP movements.

The transition has caused significant concern among approximately 800 outsourced airport workers. Employees have raised issues regarding job security, unpaid salaries, and a lack of communication from management and authorities regarding their future employment. Meanwhile, passengers have reported a smooth transition, noting the modern infrastructure and digitized systems at the new Bhogapuram terminal.