Passenger traffic at Bengaluru airport increases by 35pc in 2023
Bengaluru: Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru (BLR airport), served a total of 37.2 million passengers in 2023, marking a 35.3pc increase compared to 2022.
According to the figures shared by the Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), out of the 37.2 million travelers, 32.7 million were domestic passengers, and 4.5 million were passengers traveling to international destinations.
On April 29, 2023, the airport recorded the highest number of passengers in a single day for 2023 at 116,688 passengers. This figure exceeded pre-pandemic levels, according to BLR airport.
BIAL authorities said that in 2023, factors such as reduced travel limitations, improved economic conditions, and increased demand for leisure and business travel led to a notable rise in growth numbers. The highest number of air traffic movements (ATMs) was witnessed on March 17, 2023, reaching an impressive 748 ATMs in a single day.
“It is a significant recovery from previous years, considering that the highest ATMs on any single day in 2022 was 693. Domestic ATMs last year saw a substantial 22pc recovery, while international ATMs showed a 15pc increase. These indicators reflect the positive momentum in the aviation sector, demonstrating the gradual return to pre-pandemic level travel patterns,” BIAL stated.
In September 2023, BLR Airport marked a milestone by transitioning international operations from T1 to T2. November witnessed the launch of Lufthansa’s thrice-weekly non-stop Bengaluru-Munich flights, and October 2023 marked the introduction of Maldivian Airlines, catering to Male with thrice-weekly operations. Furthermore, five new domestic routes were introduced, contributing to the overall capacity growth.
AIX (created by the merger of Air India Express and Air Asia India) commenced domestic operations in October 2023, further diversifying the airline portfolio and expanding connectivity for passengers. According to BIAL, the top domestic routes in the calendar year 2023 included Delhi, Mumbai, and Hyderabad. Meanwhile, BLR Airport served 25 international destinations in 2023, with Dubai, Singapore, and Doha emerging as the top sectors contributing to the international traffic.
In terms of cargo traffic, BLR Cargo continues to be the hub for handling perishable cargo for the third consecutive year with a tonnage of 53,751 metric tonnes (MT) in FY 2023. BLR Cargo processed a total of 422,644 MT of cargo during CY 2023, indicating a 2% increase from the previous year, according to BIAL.
Perishables continued to be a key focus, with coriander exports surging by 67pc. The export of mangoes reached a three-year tonnage record, achieving a 124pc year-on-year growth. 684 MT of mangoes were exported, facilitated by an 86pc increase in the number of pieces shipped.
-B
