Commercial flight operations at Visakhapatnam Airport are set to move permanently to the newly built Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport at Bhogapuram from 17 August.
The shift follows a notification issued by the Ministry of Civil Aviation confirming that scheduled commercial services will cease at the existing civil enclave for the next 30 years.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to inaugurate the greenfield airport on 1 August, while regular commercial flights will begin operating from the new facility from 17 August.
Located more than 50 km from Visakhapatnam, the Bhogapuram airport has been developed to accommodate future passenger growth and enhance regional air connectivity.
As part of the transition, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) airport code VTZ, currently assigned to Visakhapatnam Airport, will be transferred to the new Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport from the date commercial operations commence.
The move effectively establishes Bhogapuram as the region's primary airport for scheduled passenger services.
The Union government's notification states that the closure applies only to scheduled commercial operations.
The existing civil enclave at Visakhapatnam Airport will continue to remain available for non-scheduled commercial flights, while military operations by the Indian Air Force and other armed forces will continue unaffected.
The exemption also covers police aircraft, authorised government agencies and flights carrying dignitaries in government-owned, leased or chartered aircraft, as well as operations during national emergencies.