Guwahati Airport Appoints New Chief Airport Officer

Guwahati, Jul 3 (PTI) The Adani Group-controlled Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport (LGBI) on Wednesday said it has appointed Ashwin Noronha as its new Chief Airport Officer with immediate effect.

Noronha has been appointed in place of Utpal Baruah, who was working at Guwahati Airport since its management was transferred to the Gujarat-based private entity from the Airport Authority of India (AAI) in October 2021.

Prior to joining the LGBI Airport, Noronha was working as the Chief Operating Officer at Mumbai International Airport Ltd, the company said in a statement.

A veteran of the aviation industry, he has served at the Qatar Airways Group, KPMG and Zurich Airports in India, it added.

Commenting on his new role, Noronha said: "Airport management is complex and challenging, and can make a tremendous difference to the lives of the people. I genuinely look forward to this leadership opportunity and to continue to make positive impacts."

He also thanked his predecessor Baruah stating that the first CAO played an intrinsic role in the development of the Airport.

Last week, Baruah had told PTI that LGBI Airport will move to its upcoming new terminal, being developed at a total cost of over Rs 2,000 crore, by April 2025.

The initial target to complete the new integrated terminal building was December 2024, but it got delayed by around four months due to change of design by the company, he had added.

The company statement further said that the Guwahati Airport processed over five lakh passengers in May 2024, almost 15 per cent higher than the corresponding month in 2023.

"To manage the tremendous growth and enable passenger delight over the next few years, Guwahati Airport is expected to witness significant changes... Development will focus on redefining the airport infrastructure through a regional footprint growth," it added.