![Bengaluru airport](http://media.assettype.com/psuwatch%2F2023-04%2F0f4e19ae-6b18-4699-9ab2-65b942104b4d%2Fbangalore_airport_in_india.jpg?w=480&auto=format%2Ccompress&fit=max)
Mumbai: Passenger traffic at Bengaluru airport jumped by 96 percent to 31.91 million in FY2022-23 as compared to 16.28 million in the previous year, the private airport operator announced on Tuesday. Domestic traffic grew by 85.2 percent to 28.12 million in FY23 against 15.18 million in FY22 while international traffic rose over three-fold to 3.78 million during the period from 1.1 million in the year ending March 2022, Bengaluru International Airport Ltd (BIAL) said. Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru (KIAB / BLR Airport) reported strong growth in passenger numbers and maintained its leading position in processing perishable cargo, it said.
The increase in passenger volumes in FY23 can be attributed to post-pandemic operations resumption, as well as the re-introduction of key routes and the initiation of new routes connecting leading business hubs and travel destinations. Bengaluru Airport is now connected to a total of 100 destinations, 75 destinations across India, and 25 international countries, contributing to a steady recovery, it said.
The airport in 2022-23 saw Akasa launching its services from the airport, Qantas' service to Sydney, and the launch of daily Airbus A380 services to Dubai by Emirates, BIAL said. "With the recent launch of Terminal 2 (T2), we are better equipped than ever before, to maintain our standing as the preferred gateway to South and Central India," said Satyaki Raghunath, Chief Strategy and Development Officer, BIAL.
The recovery in air transport movements (ATMs) saw an overall growth of 50.8 percent in the previous fiscal with domestic ATMs growing 49.8 percent on a year-on-year basis while international growth stood at 59.6 percent, BIAL said.
Major international airlines have reinstated their operations from Bengaluru during the fiscal, BIAL said. The airport also said that it has maintained its position in cargo as India's leading airport for handling perishable cargo for the third consecutive year. The airport has processed 44,143 MT of perishable cargo in the current year till January 2023 (full-year results awaited) and 52,366 MT during FY22, the airport operator said.
(PSU Watch– India's Business News centre that places the spotlight on PSUs, Bureaucracy, Defence and Public Policy is now on Google News. Click here to follow. Also, join PSU Watch Channel in your Telegram. You may also follow us on Twitter here and stay updated.)