According to a release issued by Bengaluru International Airport Authority Limited (BIAL), Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru, has emerged as the preferred transfer hub for South India. Bengaluru airport is the third busiest airport in India.
BLR Airport delivered services to 74 domestic destinations in the calendar year 2021 (CY 2021), the highest number of destinations since the airport’s inception. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Bengaluru airport served 54 routes. It is the highest number of destinations among South Indian airports as well.
These expansions are primarily added to non-metro destinations, resulting in a significant rise in flights to non-metro routes from 58% from the pre-COVID days to 63% in the CY 2021. Furthermore, traffic on non-metro routes surged by 27% between Q1 and Q4 of 2021, reinforcing strong demand for these city pairs.
Transfer passengers accounted for over 19% of traffic at BLR Airport in CY 2021, compared to 10% of the pre-COVID days. Chennai, Kochi, Hyderabad, and Goa were the key airports that contributed to many transfer passengers at BLR Airport.
Non-metro connectivity and growing economy contributed to BLR airport’s growth
Apart from increased non-metro connectivity, Bengaluru’s geographic location and the state of Karnataka’s growing economy have aided in putting Kempegowda International Airport as the vital aviation gateway of South and Central India. Within a 75-minute flight period, BLR Airport serves a large catchment area of 23 cities.
This, combined with the expansion of non-metro connectivity, has aided in developing BLR Airport’s transfer traffic market. The transfer traffic flow has also contributed to stabilising loads on other domestic and international routes. Furthermore, BLR Airport is driving the region’s growth storey with a catchment area of 256 million people (about one-fifth of India’s population).
In addition, to accommodate increasing passenger numbers, BLR Airport has expanded two of its existing transfer zones by adding lanes for seamless passenger transfers. “We intend to add to our transfer experience with the inauguration of Terminal 2 and look forward to developing BLR Airport as the New Gateway to India,” the release stated.
With the pandemic’s constraints, like flying limits or quarantine restrictions imposed by some states, easing in the present phase, traffic is expected to climb even more.
