Mangaluru International Airport, managed by Adani Airport Holdings Limited, recorded 18.5% growth in passenger traffic in the first half of 2024-25. The air traffic (flight) movements witnessed 18.8% increase during the same period.

The airport handled 11,21,410 passengers, marking a significant increase from the 9,46,233 passengers handled during the same period in 2023-24.

The airport, which offers domestic flights to six domestic destinations and eight destinations in west Asia, handled 7,402 passengers on August 15, 2024, the highest in the first six months of the current financial year as against 6,495 passengers handled on September 30, 2023, the highest during the corresponding period of the last financial year, sources in the airport told The Hindu.

Domestic and international travellers

The number of domestic travellers handled between April and September of 2024-25 increased by 25% with 7,84,237 passengers, when compared to 6,26,881 passengers handled during the same period of 2023-24.

Bengaluru and Mumbai were the two preferred destinations, aiding this domestic growth.

International travel saw an increase of 5.58% at 3,37,173 passengers when compared to 3,19,352 passengers handled in the corresponding period of 2023-24.

Dubai, Muscat and Dammam emerged as the top three international destinations, sources said.

Air traffic movements up

The airport recorded a notable increase in air traffic (flight) movements. It handled 7,830 flight movements an increase of 18.8% from the 6,590 flight movements in the first half of last financial year.

The total growth is in line with the global and national trends, which have seen robust growth in the aviation sector ever since the global pandemic served as a travel disruptor, sources said.

Cargo operations

Cargo operations saw a significant boost with 56.14% growth to 2,617.29 metric tonnes (MT) handled when compared to 1,676.18 MT of cargo handled in the first half of the last financial year.

This included 1,916.81MT of domestic and 700.48 MT of international cargo.

The growth is attributed to commencement of international cargo operations at the airport in July 2024 with Air India Express and Indigo handling international cargo.

The airport started domestic cargo operations in May 2023.

Post office mail comprises the bulk of domestic cargo, fruits and vegetables form the bulk of the cargo headed for destinations in west Asia, sources said.