New Delhi: The Ahmedabad airport recorded a 15 per cent rise in international passenger traffic in the first half of FY 2025, according to data provided by the Airports Authority of India (AAI). Several factors were behind this rise, including new flights and new connecting destinations.
Between April and September 2024, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International (SVPI) Airport handled 60 lakh passengers, marking an 8 percent increase compared to the first half of the previous financial year. Of these, 50 lakh were domestic travellers, up from 47 lakh during the same period last year.
The SVPI airport witnessed a major crash on Thursday when a London-bound Air India flight, carrying 242 passengers and crew members, plunged into the Meghaninagar area of Ahmedabad shortly after taking off.
The flight took off at 1:39 pm from the Ahmedabad airport and was supposed to land in London the next morning. It was then scheduled to reach Goa at 10:20 am on 13 June. The aircraft was a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner with registration number VT-ANB and serial number 36279. The aircraft was delivered to Air India on 28 January 2014 and entered into service on 8 February 2024.
The increase in international passengers at the Ahmedabad airport was mainly driven by new flights, additional destinations, and better connectivity on existing routes.
During the first six months of FY 25, the airport welcomed 10 lakh international passengers, compared to 8.5 lakh during the same period last year, according to the Airport Authority of India.
Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Kuwait remained the top international destinations. Many travellers also flew to the US, Canada, London, and Europe via these Middle Eastern hubs, especially during the busy summer vacation period.
Passenger traffic has risen steadily since the post-pandemic recovery of international travel. The summer vacation period saw a sharp jump in family trips, contributing to the airport’s growing passenger numbers.
The air transport movements at the Ahmedabad airport saw an increase of 14 per cent in Q2 of FY25. The number of flights (take-offs and landings) rose from 21,000 to 24,000 between July and September 2024. That indicates growing demand for both domestic and international routes.
(Edited by Aamaan Alam Khan)