GMR Airports Limited reported a 3.5% year-on-year decline in passenger traffic at its flagship Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) for the first seven months of the current fiscal due to year runway upgrade and airspace closure, according to a mandatory filing with the stock exchanges.
The data shows that from April to October 2025, Delhi Airport handled 43.18 million passengers, down from 44.77 million in the same period last year. The weakness was primarily in the domestic sector, which saw a 4.7% contraction, while international traffic remained nearly flat with a minor 0.3% decline. Overall, the company’s passenger traffic during the April-October 2025 period grew at 0.3% to 68 million.
GMR Airports cited runway upgrade and airspace closure as the two major factors for the drop in passenger traffic in Delhi Airport. According to the company, a significant upgrade project on Runway 10/28, a critical piece of infrastructure, led to reduced operational capacity during the period.
Changed airspace conditions amid a series of geopolitical events also caused temporary disruptions to flight operations.
However, the monthly data for October 2025 reveals a turnaround. With the enhanced runway reopening on September 16 and the upgraded Terminal 2 becoming operational on October 26, passenger traffic surged. October passenger numbers jumped 11.7% compared to September, with domestic traffic leading the charge at a 12.6% month-on-month increase. The airport also recorded its highest single-day traffic of the fiscal year on October 26, handling approximately 250,000 passengers.
"The traffic trajectory is expected to further strengthen & transcend going ahead due to greater airport efficiency resulting from enhanced & optimized runway operations," the company stated in the regulatory filing, downplaying the overall decline as equivalent to just "~1 week Pax handled at Delhi Airport."
Hyderabad International Airport (HYD) emerged as the standout performer for the airport operator. The airport reported its highest-ever passenger traffic for the April-October period, handling 18.0 million passengers, a surge of 10.1% compared to the same period last year. Both domestic and international travel reached record levels, with international passenger growth a particularly strong 11.5%.
In the first half of FY26, the company reported a 38% increase in revenue, while net losses narrowed to Rs 100 crore from Rs 766 crore in the same period last year.