Delhi airport set for record passenger traffic this fiscal
The Delhi airport is all set to register the highest-ever passenger traffic in a financial year.
The airport had recorded its highest passenger traffic in 2011-12 with 35.88 million people using the facility. This financial year, 2013- 2014, the Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) -- the company that operates the airport -- has projected a passenger traffic of 37 million.
The last financial year, 20121013, saw a slight dip in passenger traffic.
Among the metro cities, the Delhi airport handles the maximum number of passengers. “In 2012-13, the traffic had come down to 34.37 million passengers. But this year again, the Indira Gandhi International Airport has reaffirmed its position as the premier airport in the country,” said an airport official.
According to officials, in the financial year 2013- 14, 27.52 million (till December 13) passengers had used the airport. “The airport now boasts of an annual passenger capacity of over 60 million, including the Terminal-3, which can handle 34 million passengers,” the official added.
Experts claim the increase in passenger movement is a positive sign for the aviation industry. The Delhi airport has a major market share of air traffic volume to the Middle-East, European, Asian and American regions.
According to sources, the Delhi airport handles almost one lakh passengers every day and aircraft movement had also increased. Terminal 1 of the airport, with three low-cost airlines, handles nearly 40,000 passengers every day.
The airport connects 51 international routes and 41 destinations in the country. The international to domestic traffic ratio of the Delhi airport is 31:69.
According to DIAL, the major reason for the increase in domestic passenger traffic is per capita income, better business opportunities, availability of better infrastructure, tourism and schedule of national and international events like sports, book fairs and auto expo.