PUNE: Despite its severe space constraints, the Pune Airport continued its impressive passenger traffic growth. According to data released by Airports Authority of India (AAI) for the period of April-November 2018, the Pune Airport recorded passenger growth of 14.6 per cent, compared to the same period in 2017. With this, the airport stood at fifth position in passenger growth rate among the top ten airports in the country.
The number of daily movements at the airport has now touched 200 per day from 158 last year. At this rate, the airport is expected to cross 10 million passengers per annum mark in the ongoing year.
The Pune airport witnessed 200 international flights in November 2018 compared with same period last year which was 198. The growth recorded is 1 per cent.
DOMESTIC FLIGHTS
The domestic flight movement was recorded as 4,704 in November 2018. For the same period in 2017, it was 4,433, with growth at 6.1 per cent. However, the domestic flights recorded from April to November 2018 is 39,364 with 35,151 recorded in the same period of 2017. The domestic flights growth was recorded at 12 per cent.
UPWARD TREND
Dhairyashil Vandekar, aviation expert and analyst said, “The international passenger movement will also see a healthy growth due to AAI meeting Pune’s long standing demand for a direct flight on the popular tourist route of Pune-Singapore. This flight was started recently by Jet Airways.”
He said the increase in the number of flights this year from Pune to important centres in the country has resulted in this traffic growth. “With increase in the number of parking bays, the airport will definitely see an increase in number of flights and traffic which should touch 10 million passengers in 2018-19 and surpass this figure in 2019-20. The additional parking bays, which is a part of the sustained efforts being made by AAI to improve the infrastructure and upgrade the amenities at the Pune’s civil airport, will also facilitate in decongesting the air side to some extent and reducing the delays which occurred at times due shortage of parking bays requiring aircraft to hold after landing,” he said.
FLOODS AFFECT KOCHI AIRPORT’S GROWTH
Interestingly, because of the recent floods requiring temporary closure of Cochin international airport, it has recorded a growth of 0 per cent during the above period with the passenger traffic during April-November in 2017 and 2018 being almost same.
