BIA to get busier in New Year

Thai Air Asia, Thai Tiger, DHL cargo, TNT cargo, China Southern and ANA airways are also keen on flying to the BIA.

During the current year,  Air Asia, Air China, Silk Air, Qatar Airways and FedEx began operating from the BIA.

Being an attractive destination for both domestic and international carriers to increase frequency, the BIA hopes to add two new international carriers every year and focus will be on connecting Bangalore to South East Asia, China, Africa and the US owing to growth in demand.

Deployment of additional capacity and greater frequency in the near-to-mid-term, primarily, coming from airlines based in Asia and Middle East, is expected to accelerate growth in international operations.

Also, airlines are expected to increase the breadth of their connectivity in the domestic market, with low cost airlines connecting Bangalore to newer destinations.

Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) President Marcel Hungerbuehler said: “While BIA has successfully attracted new airlines and in turn, higher passenger numbers, we have been consistent in maintaining as well as improving the facilities.”
With revived business travel and increased leisure travel, the upward growth trend continued from July last year.

Citing the Airport Authority of India report, the BIAL president said, its annual figures touched 11.24 million passengers, a 23 per cent growth over last year, making it the fastest growing airport in India. Accordingly, the BIA’s passenger traffic in the last quarter stood at 3.06 million and on December 17 alone, the airport handled a record 38,134 passengers, both figures are the highest ever reported since airport opening in May 2008.

“We are pleased that in a short time span the airport has already become the pride and identity of Bangalore.

While remaining focused on its objectives, the airport has overcome many challenges and earned numerous accolades,” Hungerbuehler  said.

Cargo on growth chart

Similarly, the cargo showed an upswing this year in comparison to last year, handling 2,10,000 metric tonnes of cargo to record a 33 per cent growth, owing to rapid recovery of the market from the global economic slowdown.

New freighters, FedEx connecting India to Europe and Deccan Cargo connecting Coimbatore and Nagpur and Hyderabad were added to the cargo operations in 2010.
The BIA’s air traffic movements  stand at 1,10,437 recording a 8.2 per cent growth, while domestic connections and international connections grew by 30 per cent and 19 percent respectively. Currently, the daily air traffic movements stand at 312.

Domestic passenger average wait time at check in was 2.5 minutes and international passenger average wait time at check in was four minutes.

Passenger flow  in 2010 at BIA