BLR Airport handles 326,643 MT cargo in FY 2020-21, 12% YoY decrease

June 26, 2021: Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru (KIAB/ BLR Airport) handled 326,643 metric tonnes (MT) in FY2019-20, 12.70 percent short of last fiscal’s 374,181 MT

It also managed to record 32.3 million passengers in FY2019-20, an unprecedented 66 percent decline in traffic during FY202.

The reduced slots for airlines at airports driven by DGCA guidelines, too, added to the lowered numbers. ATMs dropped by 50 percent to113,993 from 231,051 in 2019-20. While domestic movements reduced by 49 percent at 102,801, international traffic saw 11,192 movements, lower by 61 percent in the last 311 days of operations.

However, the subdued environment due to the pandemic had a marginal impact on cargo operations. BLR Airport was the only major airport in the country to reach 100 percent of the previous year’s tonnage on a year-on-year basis from September 2020 through January 2021. In March, it regained momentum, recording 34,401 MT - the highest in the last 31 months. Overall, domestic tonnage was 119,125 MT, 20 percent short of last year’s tonnage, while international was 207,518 MT, 7 percent short of the previous financial year.

Due to the sharp drop in passenger volumes, BLR Airport has suffered a significant decline in revenue. Despite the crisis, BIAL is firmly committed to completing all the capital expenditure projects that are currently underway. During the last financial year, BIAL also launched multiple cargo infrastructure projects including a new express cargo terminal and a public bonded warehouse and made several investments in technology to ensure passengers continue to enjoy an enhanced airport experience and to ensure cargo processing was expedited.

2020-21 Highlights (from May 25, 2020)

• Highest single-day ATMs: 555 ATMs on February 27, 2021

• Average movements per day: 363 ATMs

• Highest single-day PAX: 69,421 on February 13, 2021

• Total number of airlines: 23 (8 domestic; 15 cargo)

• Domestic destinations: 70

• Air Bubble routes: 13

• Top three domestic destinations by passengers: Delhi (11.6 percent), Kolkata (11 percent) and Mumbai (6.3 percent)