NEW DELHI: With several states easing the lockdown restrictions, the Delhi airport is witnessing a gradual rise in the number of domestic air travellers.
According to Delhi International Airport Limited, the operator of the facility, the number of passengers has increased by more than three times between mid-May and June end.
The number of flyers increased from around 18,000 per day in the middle of May to over 62,000 per day by the end of June. Similarly, the number of international travellers grew from around 4,500 per day to nearly 7,500 per day during the same period.
Most of the flyers (48 per cent) belonged to the category of ‘visiting family and friends’ while 25 per cent were vacationers under the leisure travel category.
As per the statement issued by the DIAL, 19 per cent of the users were business travellers.
The number of leisure travellers is significantly higher than the corresponding period in the previous year, when restrictions were eased after a stringent national lockdown.
“In June 2020, after gradual lifting of a two-month long country-wide lockdown, the majority of air travellers were of ‘visiting family and friends’ category, followed by business travellers while those going for vacation was only 2 per cent. During pre-Covid times (in June 2019), around 44 per cent flyers were vacationers while 41 per cent were of ‘visiting family and friends’ category,” said an official of DIAL.
Mumbai, Patna, Bangalore, Pune, Hyderabad, Leh, Chennai, Ahmadabad, Kolkata and Jammu and Kashmir have emerged as the top 10 destinations from Delhi, said the statement from airport operator.
The official said that to ensure a safe and healthy environment in the terminals for the passengers since the pandemic outbreak, the airport has taken several measures.
“During the second wave of Covid-19, Delhi Airport introduced Luminometers to ensure surfaces of high passenger-contact areas are safe, hygienic and free from any bacteria, fungi and other microorganisms after disinfection exercise. Delhi Airport is the first airport in India to take up these measures,” added the official.