RANKING OF KEMPEGOWDA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (KIA)

KIA at Bengaluru has been ranked as the second fastest growing airport in the world in 2018. Bengaluru helped transit 1,58,50,352 passengers between January 2018 and June 2018, a jump of 41,80,852 passengers or 35.8 per cent from first half of 2017, according

to data compiled by global airlines events organising company Routes. In terms of growth, the city’s airport is second only to Tokyo’s Haneda Airport that handled 4,32,88,558 passengers with a jump of 43,44,307 passengers during the period. “These numbers stand testimony to the impressive growth of Bengaluru as a new hub of economic activity in India, led largely by the knowledge economy,” said Hari Marar, MD and CEO, BIAL, the company that operates KIA. Other airports from India to find a place in the top 20 are New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) at the sixth slot and Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport RGIA) at the 17th slot. While IGIA saw a jump of 32,76,183 passengers during the quarter, RGIA saw a jump of 20,97,087 passengers. “To keep pace with this growth, KIA is on the cusp of tremendous infrastructure development that will include a new terminal and a second runway to ensure that we are able to keep pace with the burgeoning passenger growth,” Marar added. IGIA continues to be India’s largest airport handling 3,49,05,629 passengers during the last six months. “Airports in China and India accounted for ten of the top 20 fastest-growing major airports in the world during the first half of the year, highlighting the growing dominance of the countries as aviation powerhouses,” said Routes in their report.