KIA served record 33.30 million passengers in 2018-19

A record 33.30 million passengers passed through the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) here in the financial year 2018-19, registering a 23.8% year-on-year growth. The country's third busiest airport logged 2,40,251 lands and take-offs during this period.

KIA also broke the single-day passenger record on January 20, 2019, when it welcomed 1,09,174 passengers. Domestic traffic, the main driver of growth, accounted for 28.82 million passengers during the financial year. During 2017-18, KIA had recorded 26.91 million passengers.

To cater to this exponential growth, KIA's operator, the Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) has undertaken an Rs. 13,000-crore capacity expansion. This includes the first-phase construction of a 2,55,000 sqm Terminal 2, an advanced Cat-IIIB Code-F Capable Runway and landside expansion.

Until the first phase of the new terminal is ready for operations in 2021, BIAL will continue to make various technology enhancements to ease congestion and ensure that travel through the airport is seamless, BIAL's Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Hari Marar said.

Among the technology initiatives introduced recently are fully-automated self-bag-drop machines, enabling passengers to complete the baggage check-in in under 45 seconds and the Smart Security Lane with Automated Tray Retrieval System. Set to go live soon is the biometric-based self-boarding solutions as part of Digi Yatra programme, Marar informed.

A total of 4.48 million passengers transited through KIA to and from international destinations – a growth of 17.5% over the previous year’s 3.81 million.

Currently, over 37 passenger airlines and 12 cargo airlines connect Bengaluru to the rest of the world. Air Traffic Movements (ATMs) increased by 21.8% during 2018-19, up from 1,97,330 movements last year.

The year also saw an 11% increase in cargo throughput, handling 386,780 Metric Tonnes as against 348,403 in 2017-18. International cargo processed during this period was 242,650 MT while the domestic cargo was 144,130 MT, according to BIAL.