9 min readConcept sheetSection A MCQ (1 mark) and map MCQ; Section B very short answer (2 marks) and map work (4 marks)

Air transport: domestic and international services and main airports

Air transport is the fastest mode and crosses mountains, forests and floods with ease, but it is costly. India has both domestic and international air services.

BeginningsThe Wright brothers designed the modern aeroplane in 1903; air transport in India began in 1911

Domestic and internationalDomestic flights link cities within India; international flights link India with other countries. Both are run by government and private companies

Pawan Hans Helicopters LtdA government company giving helicopter services to ONGC, Indian Oil and the north-eastern states

Main drawbackHigh cost, so it is still out of reach of many people

Merits and drawback of air transport

MeritsFastest mode: hundreds of kilometres in a few hours. Free from surface hindrances such as mountains, dense forests, marshes and floods. Vital for national defence. Links continents, making the world a global village. Carries fruit, vegetables and costly goods such as medicines and machines on time. Saves lives in disasters by rescuing people and dropping supplies.

DrawbackThe high cost of travel and freight keeps it out of reach of the common person, though its use has grown fast in recent years.

Air services in India

Domestic services link cities within India; international services link India with other countries.
Both are provided by government and private airlines.
Pawan Hans Helicopters Ltd, a government company, flies helicopters for the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), Indian Oil and the north-eastern states.
Most airports are managed by the Airports Authority of India.

On the map

Indira Gandhi International Airport: Delhi, in the north, near the Yamuna.
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport: Mumbai, on the west coast of Maharashtra.
Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport: Kolkata, in southern West Bengal, near the Hooghly.
Chennai International Airport: Chennai, on the east coast of Tamil Nadu.
Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport at Raja Sansi: Amritsar, in north-west Punjab near the Pakistan border. Exam papers call it the Raja Sansi International Airport.
Srinagar International Airport: Srinagar, in the Kashmir valley of Jammu and Kashmir; the northernmost international airport of India.
Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport: Nagpur, in eastern Maharashtra, near the centre of India.
Loknayak Jaiprakash Narayan International Airport (the name in the NIOS sample paper): Patna, Bihar, on the south bank of the Ganga.
Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport: Guwahati, Assam, on the Brahmaputra.
Thiruvananthapuram International Airport: near the southern tip of Kerala.
Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (Hyderabad, Telangana) and Kempegowda International Airport (Bengaluru, Karnataka): on the Deccan plateau.
How to mark: put a small aeroplane sign or a dot at the city and write the airport's name beside it.

In real life

When floods cut roads in Assam or a landslide blocks a hill road, helicopters drop food and carry the sick to hospital. Medicines and fresh flowers also fly overnight between Indian cities.

Exam angle

2 marks: “Give any two advantages of air transport over other means of transport.” It is the fastest mode, covering hundreds of kilometres in a few hours. It is free from surface hindrances such as mountains, forests and floods, so it can reach remote and disaster-hit areas.

4 marks: “On an outline map of India, mark and label these international airports: (i) Amritsar (ii) Nagpur (iii) Kolkata (iv) Chennai.” (i) Raja Sansi, north-west Punjab near the Pakistan border. (ii) Eastern Maharashtra, near the centre of India. (iii) Southern West Bengal. (iv) East coast of Tamil Nadu.

1 marks: “Name the government company that gives helicopter services to ONGC and the north-eastern states.” Pawan Hans Helicopters Ltd.

Remember it

Air is Fast, Free of surface barriers, For defence, but Far too costly.