VISAKHAPATNAM: The Visakhapatnam International Airport is registering 20 to 30 per cent increase in passenger footfall after easing of lockdown norms. In September, 794 flights were operated and there were 79,727 passenger footfall in the month as against 652 flights and 60,920 passenger flow in August.
The number of flights was as low (34) in April increased to 128 in May, 439 in June, 526 in July and 619 in August. The airport, which registered a footfall of only 24 passengers in April, saw the same increase up to 7,921 in May, 39,565 in June, 40,095 in July and 60,839 in August. The steady increase in the number of flights and passenger footfall were seen as the situation was slowly returning to normal in the city.
At the same time, Visakhapatnam airport stood first in operation of flights and passengers load when compared with other airports in the State. While 619 flights were operated in August to and from Vizag, 507 flights were operated from Vijayawada, 528 flights from Rajamahendravaram, and 278 from Tirupati.
In July, 525 flights were operated from Vizag, 434 from Vijayawada, 432 from Rajamahendravaram and 228 from Tirupati, in June 439 flights were operated from Vizag, 376 from Vijayawada, 358 from Rajamahendravaram, and 168 from Tirupati, in May 128 flights were operated from Vizag, 96 from Vijayawada, 176 from Rajamahendravaram, and 18 from Tirupati, and in April 32 flights were operated from Vizag, 8 from Vijayawada, 62 from Rajamahendravaram, and no flights from Tirupati.As far as passenger traffic of both domestic and international is concerned Vizag leads the table.
In August 60,839 passenger footfalls in Vizag, 30,160 in Vijayawada, 11,502 in Rajamahendravaram, and 18,108 in Tirupati. In July 42095 passenger footfalls in Vizag, 20,624 in Vijayawada, 8699 in Rajamahendravaram, and 11,040 in Tirupati. In June 39565 passenger footfalls in Vizag, 18,633 in Vijayawada, 6,702 in Rajamahendravaram, and 6,811 in Tirupati. In May 7,921 passenger footfalls in Vizag, 4744 in Vijayawada, 1,637 in Rajamahendravaram, and 916 in Tirupati. In April 24 passenger footfalls in Vizag, 0 in Vijayawada, 275 in Rajamahendravaram, and 0 in Tirupati.
Andhra Pradesh Air Travellers Association (APATA) representatives said here on Saturday though the industry, business and service was yet to restore normalcy, the increase in passenger traffic from Vizag was a healthy indication. K Kumar Raja, O Naresh Kumar and DS Varma of the APATA said once domestic and international air services are fully restored, Vizag will receive a huge passenger rush.