Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, Oct 24: During the first six months of this financial year, the local airport has been used by 6.57 lac air passengers. Although the total number of air passengers during the first half of this year has registered an increase of four percent, there has been a decline in the passenger traffic within the country from here.

A press statement issued by airport director here, J T Radhakrishna, has revealed that 2.38 lac passengers from and to foreign destinations travelled through this airport, whereas 4.19 lac passengers travelled within India, during the period from April to September 30 this year. While the figure for international passengers was 1.92 lac last year, 4.40 lac passengers had used this airport for and from destinations within the country.

The statement analyzes that there has been marked decline in number of passengers leaving to smaller towns like Trichy, Madurai, Tirupati, Bhopal, Ahmedabad and Bhubaneshwar, reflecting in a fall in the number of indigenous passengers during this period. He has recalled that during the years 2012-13 and 2013-14, there was 15 and 21 percent increase in movement of passengers at this airport respectively. He felt that the number of passengers may go up if operators start operating new flights to national and international destinations from here.