The Ministry of Civil Aviation has granted a No Objection Certificate (NOC) to Air Ayodhya, a new regional airline to be operated by Megamax Aviation Pvt Ltd under the Regional Connectivity Scheme UDAN. The clearance, reported in late September 2026, allows the airline to begin the next step of certification for flights focused on tier-2 and tier-3 towns in Uttar Pradesh. It comes at a time when demand for flights to Ayodhya is rising fast and the government has launched the decade-long Modified UDAN to deepen regional air links.
What Is Air Ayodhya and What Does the NOC Mean?
Air Ayodhya is a proposed regional airline owned by Megamax Aviation Pvt Ltd, which is part of the Megamax Group. The Megamax Group also works in IT services, solar energy and charter services for religious tourism, including Char Dham Yatra flights and medical charters under the brand Aayo. Air Ayodhya is its first venture into scheduled passenger flights, which means regular flights open to the public on fixed routes and timings.
A No Objection Certificate (NOC) in aviation is the first formal permission from the Ministry of Civil Aviation to set up a new airline in India. The NOC confirms that the Ministry has examined the proposal on financial, economic and legal grounds and has no objection to the applicant moving ahead. The NOC does not allow the airline to start selling tickets or flying passengers.
After the NOC, Air Ayodhya must obtain an Air Operator Certificate (AOC) from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). The DGCA is the national aviation safety regulator, headquartered in New Delhi. The AOC process checks aircraft, maintenance systems, trained pilots and engineers, safety manuals and operating procedures. Only after the DGCA issues the AOC can commercial operations begin. For Air Ayodhya, the NOC was reported on 28 September 2026, and the AOC process is the next milestone.
How Will Air Ayodhya Operate in Uttar Pradesh?
Air Ayodhya will focus only on Uttar Pradesh in its first phase. The plan is to connect tier-2 and tier-3 towns, pilgrimage centres and tourism destinations with each other and with major hubs. Many of these places have airports or old airstrips but no regular flights. This gap is exactly what the airline wants to fill.
The airline will begin with the Cessna Grand Caravan EX, a small single engine turboprop aircraft that can land on short runways. The first brand new aircraft is scheduled for delivery in December 2026. Small aircraft keep costs low on new routes where passenger numbers are still uncertain. As traffic grows, Air Ayodhya plans to add 19 seater aircraft and then larger turboprops on busy sectors.
The long term goal is ambitious. Air Ayodhya aims to build a fleet of 50 aircraft by 2036. The model is phased. Small planes open a route, larger planes follow when demand rises. This approach matches UDAN logic, where viability improves only after connectivity creates steady traffic for business, pilgrims and tourists.
What Is the UDAN Scheme?
The Regional Connectivity Scheme Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik (RCS UDAN) is the central government scheme to make flying affordable and connect unserved and underserved airports. The Ministry of Civil Aviation launched UDAN in October 2016 under the National Civil Aviation Policy 2016. The first UDAN flight, from Shimla to Delhi, was flagged off on 27 April 2017.
UDAN works on a simple idea. Airlines bid to operate regional routes. Fares on about half the seats are capped, at around ₹2,500 for a one hour flight of about 500 km. Airlines get Viability Gap Funding (VGF), which is financial support to cover losses from low fares. Airports Authority of India waives certain airport charges, while state governments provide security, power and fire services at low or zero cost. The Regional Connectivity Fund, created through a levy on some domestic flights, supports the VGF payments.
The results over nine years have been large. As of 15 July 2026, UDAN had operationalised 679 routes connecting 95 airports, heliports and water aerodromes. More than 3.58 lakh flights had carried over 1.68 crore passengers. The number of operational airports in India rose from 74 in 2014 to 165 as of July 2026, with UDAN playing a central role in opening new stations such as Tezpur, Passighat, Pithoragarh, Rourkela and Diu. Support services like UDAN Yatri Cafes for low cost food at airports have also been added to improve the passenger experience.
Modified UDAN Scheme: The Next Ten Year Phase
The Modified UDAN Scheme is the next phase of regional connectivity for the period FY 2026-27 to FY 2035-36. The Union Cabinet approved the scheme on 25 March 2026 with a total outlay of ₹28,840 crore through budgetary support. Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the scheme on 4 July 2026 from Jodhpur Airport in Rajasthan.
The new phase shifts focus from only starting routes to building lasting infrastructure and keeping operations viable. Funds are divided into clear parts. About ₹12,000 crore is set aside for developing 100 aerodromes from existing unserved airstrips. About ₹2,577 crore will support operation and maintenance of aerodromes for three years. About ₹10,043 crore is earmarked for VGF to airlines over ten years. Another ₹3,661 crore will support 200 modern helipads. The scheme also proposes to procure two HAL Dhruv helicopters for Pawan Hans and two HAL Dornier aircraft for Alliance Air to support remote operations.
| Component of Modified UDAN | Target and Funding |
|---|---|
| Development of aerodromes | 100 aerodromes, about ₹12,000 crore |
| Operation and maintenance support | Up to ₹3.06 crore per airport per year, total about ₹2,577 crore |
| Viability Gap Funding for airlines | About ₹10,043 crore over 10 years |
| Modern helipads | 200 helipads, about ₹3,661 crore |
A workshop on the next phase was held at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi in July 2026. Officials stressed challenge based development of UDAN airports, timely completion and sustainable operations for tier-2 and tier-3 cities. Air Ayodhya is one of the early airline proposals to take shape under this renewed push.
Ayodhya Aviation Base: Airport Name, Code and Temple Link
Yes, there is an airport in Ayodhya. The city is served by the Maharishi Valmiki International Airport, Ayodhyadham. The airport uses the IATA code AYJ and the ICAO code VEAY. IATA codes are three letter tags used on tickets and baggage, while ICAO codes are four letter tags used for air traffic control and flight planning. The airport is operated by the Airports Authority of India (AAI).
The airport was built on the site of an old Faizabad airstrip. Construction of the new airport began in February 2022 and finished in late 2023. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the airport on 30 December 2023. Commercial flights began on 10 January 2024. In its first phase, the terminal can handle about 10 lakh passengers per year, with a plan to expand to 60 lakh passengers per year in the second phase.
The airport lies about 8 km from Ayodhya city centre and around 10 to 12 km from the Ram Mandir complex, depending on the route taken. Taxis, cabs and bus links connect the terminal to the temple area, the Faizabad bus depot and the Ayodhya and Faizabad railway stations. For pilgrims, this short ground link is critical. It turns a long train or road journey into a same day trip option.
Flight demand has grown quickly after the Ram Mandir consecration in January 2024. The airport handled over 7.85 lakh passengers in its first two years and now handles around 20 flights daily to Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Chennai. IndiGo operated the first commercial flight, and Air India, SpiceJet and Akasa Air have since added or announced services. This rising traffic explains why search interest in flights to Ayodhya peaks in the winter pilgrimage season and why a dedicated regional airline based on Ayodhya makes commercial sense.
Uttar Pradesh Airport Network and Why Regional Airlines Matter
Uttar Pradesh now has the largest airport network among Indian states. In 2017, only 4 functional airports linked about 25 destinations. By early 2026, 15 to 17 airports were functional and linked more than 80 destinations, with a state plan to reach 21 airports in the next few years.
The state has five international airports. These are Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport in Lucknow (LKO), Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport in Varanasi (VNS), Maharishi Valmiki International Airport in Ayodhya (AYJ), Kushinagar International Airport (KBK) and Noida International Airport at Jewar (DXN). The first four are operational, while Jewar began phased inauguration in March 2026. Kushinagar serves Buddhist tourism, while Ayodhya and Varanasi serve religious tourism. Lucknow and Noida anchor business and cargo traffic.
Still, many smaller airstrips at Aligarh, Azamgarh, Shravasti, Chitrakoot, Moradabad and Saharanpur have limited or no scheduled flights. Large jets cannot operate profitably on these thin routes. A small regional airline using 9 to 19 seater aircraft can. It links pilgrimage towns, district centres and tourism spots to big hubs, where passengers can transfer to metro flights. Better air links also help medical travel, disaster response, investment and jobs in districts far from Lucknow or Delhi. That last mile gap is the reason the NOC to Air Ayodhya matters beyond one company.
Key Takeaways
- The Ministry of Civil Aviation granted NOC to Air Ayodhya, operated by Megamax Aviation Pvt Ltd, on 28 September 2026 for regional operations under RCS UDAN.
- Air Ayodhya must now secure an Air Operator Certificate (AOC) from the DGCA before starting commercial flights.
- The airline will start with Cessna Grand Caravan EX aircraft in December 2026 and targets a fleet of 50 aircraft by 2036.
- The original UDAN scheme was launched in October 2016 by the Ministry of Civil Aviation, with the first flight on 27 April 2017 from Shimla to Delhi.
- As of 15 July 2026, UDAN has enabled 679 routes, 95 aerodromes and over 1.68 crore passengers.
- The Modified UDAN Scheme, approved on 25 March 2026 with an outlay of ₹28,840 crore, will run from FY 2026-27 to FY 2035-36.
- Ayodhya is served by the Maharishi Valmiki International Airport, Ayodhyadham with codes AYJ (IATA) and VEAY (ICAO).
