By this year-end, the volume of domestic passengers passing through Mumbai airport is likely to reach its pre-Covid level, if the current trend is anything to go by. During the nine days of Navratri this year, Mumbai airport handled a total of 6.6 lakh passengers, which was only 20% lower than the 2019 festive traffic when the airport handled 8 lakh, shows data released by Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL).

When compared to Navratri 2020, the jump in passenger traffic this year during those nine days was 134%— last year only 2.8 lakh passengers boarded departure and arrival flights during those nine days, that is. As is the trend during festivals, the number of passengers leaving the city is higher than those flying into Mumbai. “From October 7 to 15, Mumbai airport played host to over a total of 6,65,985 passengers (domestic plus international), of whom over 3,17,240 were on arrival flights and 3,48,740 on departure flights from the airport,” said MIAL.

During the same period, a total of 5,101 flights were operated. Delhi, Bengaluru, and Goa were the top three destinations that witnessed the highest number of passenger arrivals and departures with 1.1 lakh, 55,939 and 56,983, respectively. Moreover, weekdays catered to 2.8 lakh passengers while weekends catered to 3.9 lakh, the airport said.

On October 17, Mumbai airport had handled a record volume of passengers. After nearly a year and a half since the pandemic struck in 2020, Mumbai airport witnessed a record 91,904 passengers, the highest since March 23, 2020.

“The Directorate General of Civil Aviation recently said there has been a 450% rise in advance bookings for Diwali week compared to the last year. With the ministry allowing airlines to operate 100% of their scheduled capacity and Diwali and Christmas season lined up in the coming months, the passenger traffic is inching towards pre-Covid days,” said MIAL.

Source: Civil Aviation Authority – Qatar