BENGALURU: By handling two million passengers more in the first quarter of 2018-19 than in the first quarter of previous financial year, Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru has recorded a growth of 32.9 per cent. While the airport had witnessed 6.04 million passengers in the first quarter last year, it received 8.02 million passengers during the corresponding period this year.
Apart from it, it also witnessed a corresponding increase in Air Traffic Movement (ATM) and cargo operations. Considering the traffic at Bengaluru International Airport Ltd (BIAL) in the first quarter, it looks set to surpass the 26.9 million passengers who had used the airport in 2017-18. During the quarter, the city also recorded the highest number of passengers on a single day at the airport since it began operations as 98,869 passengers arrived or departed from the airport on June 30.
The airport recorded a growth in the number of both domestic and international passengers. Domestic passengers increased by 35.8 per cent and international passengers grew by 16.8. According to BIAL authorities, the significant growth was due to holiday season when airlines had given out special offers.
Between April and June, 6.94 million domestic passengers and 1.08 million international fliers travelled through the airport, contributing to its significant growth. Due to the surge in the number of passengers, there was a corresponding increase in ATM by 32.9 per cent. As a result, the number of aircraft movement increased from 43,673 to 58,054 movements. The highest ATM was on May 4, when 685 aircraft movements were controlled. The average for the period was 638 movements per day.
At BIAL, cargo operations also improved compared to the previous financial year. Against 83,584 tonnes in first quarter of 2017-18, BIAL processed 97,486 tonnes of cargo in the first quarter of 2018-19, recording a growth of 16.6 per cent.
Of it, 61,888 tonnes was international cargo — 15.5 per cent growth compared to 53,583 tonnes in first quarter of last year —and 35,598 tonnes of domestic cargo - 18.7 per cent growth over 30,001 tonnes last year, a BIAL release stated.
Hari Marar, MD and CEO, BIAL said that, “The key factors that have enabled us to deliver are timely expansion of facilities, implementation of cutting edge technology and innovation.”