🇮🇳 Safdarjung Airport

Safdarjung Airport (ICAO: VIDD) is a public airport in New Delhi, India, operated by the Airports Authority of India. Established in 1929 as Willingdon Airfield, it was India's second airport and served as Delhi's main airport until 1962, when operations shifted to Palam Airport (now Indira Gandhi International Airport) due to the inability to support larger aircraft.

Following the 9/11 attacks, the airport was closed for public flying activities in January 2002 due to security considerations. Currently, flying activities are restricted to VIP flights, including those for the President, Vice President, Prime Minister, Union Ministers, and state officials, as well as flights for the repair and maintenance of VIP aircraft [aim-india.aai.eAIP-v2-07-2024, aim-india.aai.eAIP-v2-6-2023]. Other flights require clearance from the Ministry of Home Affairs [aim-india.aai.eAIP-v2-07-2024, aim-india.aai.eAIP-v2-6-2023]. The airport is primarily used for VVIP helicopter transit to Indira Gandhi International Airport.

Notable features include a 1.5-kilometer tunnel connecting the Prime Minister's residence to the airport, completed in 2014. The airport complex also houses the Rajiv Gandhi Bhawan, which contains the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the headquarters of the Airports Authority of India. The runway available for operational purposes is 1180 meters (3872 feet) [aim-india.aai.eAIP-v2-07-2024, aim-india.aai.eAIP-v2-6-2023].

*Sources researched: aim-india.aai.aero, en.wikipedia.org, centreforaviation.com, airportroutes.com*