Passenger traffic at B'luru international airport increases by 35% in 2023

The Bengaluru international airport had a footfall of 37.2 million passengers in 2023, marking a 35.3 per cent increase compared to the previous calendar year, airport authorities said on Friday.

The airport, known as Kempegowda International Airport, said that 32.7 million of these passengers were domestic and 4.5 million were travellers to international destinations. On April 29, 2023, the airport recorded the highest number of passengers in a single day--1,16,688.

In 2023, factors such as reduced travel limitations, improved economic conditions, and increased demand for leisure and business travel led to a notable rise in growth numbers, a statement issued by the airport said.

It said that March 17, last year had 748 air traffic movements (ATMs), defined as the landing or take-off of an aircraft, the highest for a single day in the year.

"It is a notable recovery, considering that the highest ATMs on any single day in calendar year 2022 was 693. Domestic ATMs last year saw a substantial 22 per cent recovery, while international ATMs showed a 15 per cent increase.

"These indicators reflect the positive momentum in the aviation sector, demonstrating the gradual return to pre-pandemic level travel patterns", it said.

In September 2023, the airport transitioned international operations from T1 to T2 terminal.

November witnessed the launch of Lufthansa's weekly thrice, non-stop Bengaluru-Munich flights. October marked the introduction of Maldivian Airlines, catering to Male with thrice-a-week operations.

Additionally, five new domestic routes were introduced, contributing to the overall capacity growth. AIX (created by the merger of Air India Express and Air Asia India) commenced domestic operations from Bengaluru in October last year.

Top domestic routes from the city in 2023 include Delhi, Mumbai, and Hyderabad. The airport served 25 international destinations last year, with Dubai, Singapore, and Doha emerging as the top sectors contributing to international traffic.

In terms of cargo traffic, the Bengaluru airport continues to be India's topmost hub for handling perishable cargo for the third consecutive year with a tonnage of 53,751 metric tonne (MT) in 2023. The airport processed a total of 422,644 MT of cargo during 2023, a two per cent increase from the previous calendar year, the statement said.