Air Passengers

Delhi airport can increase annual passenger handling capacity to 130 mn

Delhi airport can scale up its annual passenger handling capacity to up to 130 million as "efficiencies can thrive", its CEO Videh Kumar Jaipuriar has said. The national capital's Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), also the country's busiest airport, currently has the capacity to handle more than 100 million passengers annually. In the year ended March 31, 2025, the airport had seen 79.3 million. Jaipuriar, who is the CEO of DIAL, said the passenger numbers are expected to increase compared to the previous year but did not provide a particular range or estimate. The airport, which started operating the refurbished Terminal 2 (T2) on October 26, has two more terminals -- T1 and T3. International flights operate only from T3. Jaipuriar said the current plan for the airport is to have an annual passenger handling capacity of 130 million. "T1 is designed for 40 million (passengers per annum capacity). I think we can definitely stretch it by 3-4 per cent or 10 per cent more. .

Passengers stranded at Heathrow, other European airports after cyberattack

Collins Aerospace, which provides systems for several airlines at airports globally, is experiencing a technical issue that may cause delays for departing passengers, Heathrow said

Air India pilot collapses prior to operating flight from Bengaluru to Delhi

An Air India pilot collapsed just prior to operating a flight from Bengaluru to Delhi, sources said on Friday. The pilot was immediately taken to hospital and the airline had to arrange another pilot to fly the passengers to their destination. Air India confirmed that "there was a medical emergency involving one of our pilots in the early hours of July 4." "There was a medical emergency involving one of our pilots in the early hours of July 4. As a result, the pilot was unable to operate the flight AI2414 from Bengaluru to Delhi, that he was rostered for, and was taken to a local hospital immediately," Air India said in a statement. "He is currently stable but continues to be under the supervision of doctors at the same hospital," the airline said.

Baggage belt glitch affects full reopening of Delhi airport's Terminal 1

Terminal 1 had been closed on June 28 last year after a section of its roof collapsed during heavy rains, resulting in one death and six injuries

Air India downgrades passenger, crew 'caught sleeping' in business class

An Air India passenger has claimed that multiple crew members were using business class seats - allegedly the same ones reassigned from paying customers

Air passenger traffic likely to rise 9% CAGR to 485 mn by FY27: Report

Air passenger traffic is likely to rise at a 9 per cent compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) between FY2025 and FY2027, taking the passenger volume to approximately 485 million by FY27, ratings agency CareEdge said on Monday. International passenger traffic is likely to grow at a faster pace, supported by the induction of more wide-body aircraft from FY26, while the domestic passenger traffic may continue with its steady upward trajectory, expanding from a high base, it added. The Indian aviation sector has experienced a V-shaped recovery, with passenger traffic reaching 1.10 times its pre-COVID levels in FY24, the rating agency said. While the domestic air travel rebounded by FY23, the international traffic recovered in FY24, exceeding pre-COVID levels by 1.04 times, it noted. The ratings agency earlier estimated passenger traffic to reach around 425 million in FY25. However, owing to the delays in aircraft deliveries and adverse weather conditions, pax growth is expected to be ..

AERA allows class-based tariff on Delhi airport's international passengers

However, operator's proposal to charge higher tariff during peak hours refused by AERA

Field reports on gender inclusion: Feminism takes different shapes

From doing away with some gender-friendly courtesies to choosing to be called Chairman, there's no one-size-fits-all way to serve the cause of feminism

Airlines urge Trump admin to end Biden's push on paying stranded customers

The proposal being considered would require airlines to pay stranded passengers at least $200, and as much as $775, in cash when a disruption is caused by the carrier

Engine fire grounds flight in Kuwait, passengers claim visa discrimination

Gulf Air flight engine fire: In the absence of transit visas, many India passengers were unable to step out of the airport premises and had to endure the long wait on the terminal floor

Centre issues new guidelines to handle bomb threats on flights; details

The revised guidelines from the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security outline several new indicators for assessing bomb threats

Airfare pain eases as pricing power swings back to passengers after Covid

Passengers around the world are winning some respite from the fare madness that followed the pandemic - and further price declines are coming

All passengers, crew land safely: Air India after flight diverted to Russia

According to an Air India statement, flight AI-183 of July 18, operating from Delhi to San Francisco, made a precautionary landing at Krasnoyarsk International Airport (KJA) in Russia

Thiruvananthapuram Airport witnesses 21% surge in passenger traffic

Thiruvananthapuram International Airport (TRV) has witnessed a record-breaking increase in passenger traffic in Q1 FY2024-25, with over 1.26 million passengers travelling through the airport. "This represents a 21 per cent growth compared to Q1 2023-24, when 1.038 million passengers were recorded. TRV now processes over 400,000 passengers monthly. Of the total passengers, 661,000 were domestic, while 598,000 travelled internationally," a TRV release said on Wednesday. To accommodate this growth, TRV has enhanced its infrastructure, adding three new check-in counters at the domestic terminal to streamline the check-in process, it said. Plans are underway to further upgrade facilities, ensuring a seamless travel experience as passenger numbers and airline operations continue to rise, the release said. The airport is managed by Adani Airport Holdings Limited (AAHL), a subsidiary of Adani Enterprises, the flagship company of the globally diversified Adani Group. The release further sa

USTSA seeks one-stop pact with India to end rescreening of passengers

The US transport security body has sought a unique one-stop agreement with India to end the rescreening of passengers, asserting that the "really powerful" concept will raise global aviation security standards. Addressing the India US Aviation Summit here on Tuesday, David Pekoske, Administrator of the US Transportation Security Administration (USTSA) said that the one-stop security concept is "very reachable" between the countries. I think very tangible and very reachable between India and the United States is one-stop security," he said. "It's a concept that expedites the flow of passengers and baggage to their destinations by eliminating the duplication of security controls at transfer points, Pekoske said. He said in the case of a one-stop agreement, passengers who reach an airport in another country and have a connecting domestic flight would not need to be rescreened and their checked bags would go from aircraft to aircraft. Terming it a "really powerful" concept, Pekoske sa

10.5 mn flights scheduled to crisscross skies, jets burn fuel like its 2019

The International Air Transport Association is anticipating record passenger numbers this year, and planes that will be about as full as they were before the virus using record amounts of fuel

Emirates, Etihad, Qatar Airways see 70% India flyers transit at hubs

This raises govt concerns over undercutting Indian carriers' international plans

BCAS issues new guidelines, allows passenger exit via departure gates

Aviation security watchdog BCAS has issued new guidelines that will allow exit of passengers from an aircraft through an airport departure gate in case there is a long delay in operating the flight after boarding. The latest directive from the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) comes against the backdrop of rising instances of congestion and flight delays, resulting in passengers getting stuck in aircraft after boarding for long hours. BCAS Director General Zulfiquar Hasan on Monday said the guidelines were issued to airlines and airport operators on March 30 and are now in force. The guidelines will help in ensuring "less harassment" for passengers and they would not have to keep sitting inside an aircraft for long hours after boarding, he said. In case of long flight delays and other emergencies after boarding, passengers will be permitted to exit through the departure gate of the airport concerned. "Airport operators have to make arrangements for the infrastructure, inclu

Delhi airport expects 72 mn passengers, expanded T1 to be functional in May

The Delhi airport is expected to handle more than 72 million passengers in the current fiscal ending March 31, the highest-ever annual traffic, and the expanded Terminal 1 is likely to be operational in May, its CEO Videh Kumar Jaipuriar said on Sunday. The expanded T1 terminal, the capacity of which has increased to 40 million from 17 million, was inaugurated virtually by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday. Now, its total area has tripled to 2,06,950 square metres. The Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) in the national capital, operated by the Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL), now has an annual passenger handling capacity of 100 million spread across three terminals -- T1, T2 and T3. Speaking to reporters after the inauguration at the Delhi airport, DIAL CEO Jaipuriar said the expanded T1 is expected to be operational in May before the peak summer season. Currently, the process related to ORAT (Operational Readiness and Airport Transfer) is happening. "When you

Average daily domestic traffic jumps by 3.78% in February, shows data

As the demand remains high, four of out six major carriers recorded load factors at above 90 per cent in February