Mangaluru International Airport handled 17.94 lakh passengers during 2022-23 against 10.16 lakh in 2021-22, registering a growth of 76 per cent.
The airport saw more than 100 per cent growth in the handling of international passengers during 2022-23. It handled 5.86 lakh overseas passengers during 2022-23 against 2.69 lakh in 2021-22, recording a growth of 117.79 per cent.
The number of domestic passengers handled at the airport increased to 12.08 lakh in 2022-23 against 7.47 lakh in 2021-22, a growth of 61.6 per cent.
The total air traffic movements at the airport increased to 14,475 in 2022-23 as against 10,212 in 2021-22, witnessing a growth of 42 per cent.
International air traffic movements at Mangaluru airport increased to 4,150 in 2022-23 against 2,122 in 2021-22, recording a growth of 95.6 per cent. Domestic air traffic movements at the airport stood at 10,060 in 2022-23 against 7,792 in 2021-22, a growth of 29 per cent.
Drop in chartered flights
However, there was a decline in general aviation or chartered flight movements during 2022-23. The airport handled 265 general aviation/chartered flights during 2022-23 against 298 in 2021-22.
The airport also recorded a 7 per cent growth in passenger traffic in March 2023 vis-à-vis February. It handled 1.43 lakh passengers in March as against 1.34 lakh passengers in February. A spokesperson for the airport said the growth is heartening given that March is usually considered a lean month in the aviation sector.
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The airport has engaged with the airlines to operate additional flights on high demand routes such as Mumbai and Bengaluru domestically, and additional flights on the established routes internationally. Parleys are also on with airlines to operate on hitherto non-operated domestic sectors either by way of a direct or a through flight, the spokesperson said.