KOCHI: Defying service disruptions triggered by the operational constraints of some airlines as well as the ongoing geopolitical tensions in West Asia, Cochin International Airport Ltd (CIAL) registered a passenger growth of 2.2% in 2025-26, in the process crossing the 10 million passenger mark for the fourth consecutive financial year.
The financial year saw CIAL handle a total of 1,14,42,583 passengers and record 73,134 aircraft movements.
May 2025 emerged as the busiest month with a total passenger traffic of 11,07,184. Of the total passengers handled during 2025-26, international passengers accounted for 54,01,939 while domestic passenger traffic stood at 60,40,644.
CIAL recorded 31,505 international and 41,629 domestic aircraft movements during the period, reflecting what it termed balanced growth across both domestic and international sectors.
“The consistent rise in passenger traffic underlines the growing preference for CIAL among travellers and airlines alike. The airport maintained stable passenger flow throughout the year, with multiple months recording exceptionally high traffic volumes, demonstrating its operational capability to efficiently manage increasing demand across all seasons,” a CIAL statement said.
S Suhas, managing director of CIAL, said, “The airport’s sustained growth has been driven by continuous improvements in infrastructure, passenger facilitation and operational efficiency under the CIAL 2.0 transformation initiative.” He noted that the modernisation programmes implemented have significantly enhanced passenger convenience through technology enabled services and faster processing systems, helping CIAL maintain high standards in service delivery while accommodating rising passenger volumes.
The introduction of full-body scanners on a trial basis has further enhanced aviation security standards and improved passenger convenience.