new delhi, April 22 -- Three weeks after its official inauguration, the Noida International Airport faces fresh uncertainty over the start of commercial flights, as a key security clearance for its chief executive is still pending. The nod from the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS)-essential before operations can begin-remains pending, raising the prospect of a delay to the airport's planned mid-May launch. The Noida International Airport at Jewar in Uttar Pradesh, 100 km off Delhi's Indira Gandhi International airport, was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 28 March 2026. The India office of Zurich Airport International AG is the airport's developer and operator. Christoph Schnellmann, a Swiss national who has been at the helm since 2020, is still to get the mandatory approval from BCAS, an arm of the civil aviation ministry. His foreign citizenship is understood to have been one of the reasons behind the approval delay. The airport has already missed multiple deadlines on account of construction delays. The first phase was built at about Rs.11,200 crore and is designed to handle 12 million passengers annually. The Noida International Airport did not specify the pending approval for the chief executive, but told Mint it was working on getting the security clearances. "The airport's Aerodrome Security Programme is currently under review with the BCAS, and we are working closely with the authorities to secure the necessary approval. Following this, we will coordinate with all stakeholders to finalize timelines for the commencement of commercial operations." Regarding the timeline for commercial operations, the Noida International Airport said it will talk to stakeholders once the clearances have been obtained. Schnellmann was appointed by Yamuna International Airport Pvt. Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Zurich Airport International AG. His previous stint in India was as executive assistant to the chief executive of the Bangalore International Airport Ltd between December 2007 and April 2008. Schnellmann's case has drawn attention due to his Swiss nationality, said two people in the know. A senior civil aviation ministry official said greenfield airports are to be headed by Indians primarily due to security concerns around them. A second official explained that the airport's chief executive must double up as the security coordinator and a key accountable personnel. "And that role requires an Indian nationality since the person has to deal with sensitive data and airport infra details." In this scenario, an alternative could be to have a foreign chief executive who handles the administrative matters, while security operations are overseen by an Indian, said the second official. "This is a curious case. In his six years as chief executive, the person already has access to all security installations and other sensitive information of the airport. He will still have the details irrespective of being the chief or not," said Ramesh Vaidyanathan, managing partner at Mumbai-based BTG Advaya, a disputes and transactional law firm. Incidentally, as per security protocols, Schnellmann did not share the dais with Modi and other dignitaries at the airport inauguration last month. The second official said the aviation ministry has asked the home ministry for necessary inputs to take Schnellmann's appointment ahead. Based on these inputs, the BCAS will provide clearances. Queries emailed on 18 April to the civil aviation and home ministries remained unanswered....