Photo Credit: Magic Bricks

Tejas Navale

Pune Airport witnessed a significant surge in air travel, with over 95 lakh passengers traversing its terminals during the last financial year. However, while domestic travel soared, international passenger numbers revealed a stark contrast, placing Pune outside the top 10 airports nationally for international traffic.

According to data released by the Airports Authority of India, domestic air travel from Pune saw a remarkable rise, with more than 93 lakh passengers flying domestically, marking a substantial 18.9 percent increase from the previous year's 78 lakh, 65 thousand, and 644 passengers. The number of domestic flights also witnessed a notable uptick, reaching 62,616—a 7.5 percent increase from last year.

Despite the impressive growth in domestic travel, Pune Airport's performance in international passenger traffic remains modest. With only 1 lakh 69 thousand passengers travelling internationally, Pune ranks outside the top 10 airports nationwide for international travel. This figure represents a 19.9 percent increase from the previous year's 1 lakh 41 thousand 516 passengers, highlighting Pune's relatively lower contribution to international air travel.

While international passenger numbers show growth, they still account for less than two percent of Pune's total air passenger volume. This disparity underscores Pune's position behind many other smaller cities in terms of international air connectivity and passenger traffic.

Regarding cargo traffic, Pune Airport experienced a slight decline, with cargo traffic totalling 37 thousand 841 tonnes, marking a 3.9 percent decrease from the previous year's 39 thousand 369 ns. Domestic cargo traffic constituted the bulk of the shipments, amounting to 37 thousand 833 tonnes, while international freight remained minimal at only eight tonnes, down from 55 tonnes in the previous year.