BENGALURU: In keeping with the trend of consistent growth in aviation passenger traffic, airports across the country have recorded a growth of 15% during the fiscal 2023-2024 as comparred to the previous fiscal. International travel is driving the growth with 22.3% increase in international travel and 12.5% in domestic travel. Airports across Karnataka have performed well, though the closure of a couple of airlines and the stoppage of specific routes have impacted two out of its nine airports.
The Air Traffic Report released by the Airports Authority of India for March 2024 details the performance of airports for the financial year. It says that a total of 37,64,26,164 flyers were recorded at all airports from April 2023-2024 as compared to 32,72,79,136 from April 2022-March 2023.
Thanks to hectic campaigning by national and State leaders due to the Assembly elections last year in Karnataka and the Lok Sabha elections this year, the HAL Airport and Bidar airport have recorded the maximum growth in terms of percentage. With 17,950 flyers in the year ending March 2024 as compared to 14,885 the previous year, HAL has shown a 20.6% increase in passengers, reveals data.
Bidar airport, owned by the Indian Air Force, has recorded 16,507 flyers vs 10,140 thereby registering a 62.8% growth. However, the only airline (Star Air) operating one route between Bidar and Bengaluru (under the Regional Connectivity Scheme UDAAN) has pulled the plug on it in 2024.
Shivamogga has recorded 39,040 passengers in 2023-2024. Since it was inaugurated only in August 2023, there is no comparative data. The airport recorded 6,166 flyers for the month of March, a dip of over 1,000 flyers from its February figure of 7,282 flyers.
Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport continues its skyward growth with a 17.6% surge over the previous fin year with 3,75,28,533 people taking to the skies in 2023-2024 vs 3,19,11,429 earlier.
Major slump
Mysuru and Kalaburagi airports take a massive beating in the just concluded financial year recording a dip of more than 30%. Mysuru clocked just 1,27,994 flyers as compared to 1,88,296 earlier, having a 32% reduction.Alliance Air pulling out its Goa as well as Hyderabad operations from Mysuru has severely impacted it.