New Delhi [India], March 14 (ANI): Air India and Air India Express will move all flight operations at Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport (LGBIA) in Guwahati from Terminal 1 to the newly inaugurated Terminal 2, effective from March 16. The transition will see the two airlines operate 38 daily flights from the new terminal.

As per the airline release, it is stated that, 'Air India and Air India Express will be operating all their flights to and from the newly inaugurated Terminal 2 of Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in Guwahati from 16 March.'

'The first Air India flight to land at the new terminal will be AI879 from Delhi, and the return flight AI880 will be Air India's first departure from T2 Guwahati Airport to Delhi. Air India Express flight IX1517 from Kolkata will be its first flight to touch down at the new terminal, and the same flight's onward journey to Imphal will be Air India Express's first flight to depart from T2, Guwahati Airport,' the release said.

Air India currently operates two daily return flights between Delhi and Guwahati, while Air India Express connects Guwahati with 17 daily flights to Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Dibrugarh, Dimapur, Hyderabad, Imphal, Jaipur, and Kolkata.

The release further mentions that, 'The ground teams of Air India and Air India Express will extend all support and assistance to the guests at the new terminal.'

The LGBIA airport connects 21 domestic destinations and three international routes, including Bangkok, Paro and Singapore and currently handles more than 130 aircraft traffic movements (ATMs) daily. The additional capacity is expected to strengthen Guwahati's role as a regional hub linking the North-East with mainland India and Southeast Asia.

Designed by internationally acclaimed Indian architect Nuru Karim, the terminal draws inspiration from Assam's kopou phool (foxtail orchid) and incorporates more than 140 metric tonnes (MT) of bamboo. Architectural references to Assam's bholuka bamboo craftsmanship and the bamboo-based structural traditions associated with the Apatani tribe of Arunachal Pradesh reflect the wider cultural fabric of the North-East.

The design received the International Architecture Award 2025 for integrating regional identity with contemporary infrastructure. The airport is operated by AAHL through its subsidiary Guwahati International Airport Limited (GIAL). AAHL also manages airports in Thiruvananthapuram, Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Lucknow, Jaipur, Ahmedabad and Mangaluru. (ANI)