Bengaluru Emerges As Aviation Hotspot, 2.75 Crore Travellers Via BIAL Drives A Record 71% Traffic Growth In 2022, Cargo Volumes Surges To 412.6 MT

Passenger traffic at the Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru (BLR Airport) surged 71 per cent to 2.75 crore (27.5 million) in 2022 aided by massive recovery in the domestic passenger volume, which reached 85 per cent of the 2019 (pre-pandemic) level.

Around 2.436 crore (24.36 million) domestic passengers and 31.4 lakh (3.14 million) international passengers travelled through the airport in the calendar year 2022. The highest passenger count (1,07,825) in a single day was recorded on December 23, 2022.

The rapid recovery in traffic was driven by a host of factors including relaunching of key routes and introduction of new routes connecting leading business hubs and travel destinations, among others, Bangalore International Airport Ltd (BIAL) said in statement on Tuesday, February 7.

Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Kochi, and Hyderabad were the top domestic routes in 2022, contributing approximately 40 per cent to domestic traffic

There was a sharp increase in passenger numbers during the year-end holiday season with as many as 31.3 lakh (3.13 million) passengers travelling in December 2022 (of which, 27.4 lakh (2.74 million) were domestic passengers) surpassing the pre-COVID record of 3.06 million passengers in December 2019, BIAL said. 

The international traffic recovered 65 per cent of the pre-COVID level at 31.4 lakhs (3.14-million) in 2022 as compared to around 940,000 in 2021. The private airport operator had flown a total of 12.39 million passengers as of December 31, 2021.

Post-pandemic, the Bengaluru airport also witnessed flights to more destinations. The airport is now connected to 75 destinations across India, an increase of 16 destinations compared to the pre-Covid time. 

With 14 domestic and foreign cargo carriers operating 41 direct routes, the cargo volumes in 2022 were 412,668 MT, the highest tonnage handled since Airport Opening Day (AOD), and the highest import tonnage was recorded in the month of July. Domestic cargo recorded an increase of 8 per cent in 2022.

BLR Airport also recorded its highest-ever cargo tonnage in Financial Year (FY) 2022, despite challenging circumstances due to multiple Covid waves.

BLR Airport processed an all-time high tonnage for a fiscal year since Airport Opening Day (AOD) of 411,513 Metric Tonnes (MT) of cargo, recording a growth of 26% as against 326,643MT in FY 2021. International cargo recorded a 31.1% growth, 271,988MT processed, as compared to 207,518 MT in FY 2021. Domestic cargo grew at 17%, with 139,525MT versus 119,125MT in FY 2021.

Perishable cargo has been one of the major growth drivers for BLR Airport. It is the No.1 airport in the country for handling perishables — estimated to account for 31% of India’s total perishable shipments.