KIA records passenger traffic surge of 32%

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: Bengaluru Airport has witnessed a 32 per cent surge in passenger traffic during the first half of this fiscal year compared to the same period in the previous year, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has said.

This growth outpaces the national average of 22.1 per cent, as reported in the AAI's Air Traffic Report, which noted 18.31 crore passengers across the country during the same timeframe.

Between April and September of this year, Bengaluru Airport served 1,84,74,104 passengers, a significant increase from the 1,39,93,742 passengers recorded during the same period the previous year.

Notably, international passenger numbers experienced substantial growth, with 22,29,524 international travellers, marking a 32.9 per cent increase compared to the previous year.

This growth in international traffic slightly surpassed the growth in domestic traffic, which stood at 31.9 per cent. Bengaluru Airport appears to have maintained its resilience despite disruptions faced by some other airports in the region, such as Belgaum, Mysore, and Kalaburagi.

The international airport in the state, Mangalore, saw a marginal 0.9 per cent decrease in its international flights, but it reported a 9.5 per cent increase in domestic traffic, with 6,86,726 passengers.

Hubli also experienced substantial growth with a 30.1 per cent increase in passenger numbers.