-Vizag airport records 30 per cent jump in passenger traffic
The Vizag airport recorded a 30 percent increase in passenger traffic over the last quarter. According to O. Naresh Kumar of Andhra Pradesh Air Travellers’ Association,
the number of passengers in the first quarter of the current fiscal 2022-23 was 5,94,400 compared to 4,56,324 in the last quarter of 2021-22. The aircraft movement also increased to 5313 from 4369 and freight to 1302 from 1276 during the same period.
“In the month of June alone, the airport witnessed 2,04,200 passengers. Andhra Pradesh
Air Travelers Association (APATA) office-bearers Dr K Kumar Raja, O Naresh Kumar and DS Varma thanked the Director, Airport Authority of India, Visakhapatnam for taking up initiative, speedy completion of the airport expansion and talking to different airline operators for operating new flights to Visakhapatnam.
Naresh Kumar, who is also a member of the Airport Advisory Committee, told that there is a tremendous future for Visakhapatnam Airport with several airlines showing interest to introduce new services. He hoped that direct flights would be revived to Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok and Dubai.
At present, the airport is operating 74 aircraft movements per day. The new terminal at the airport, the second one, is in an advanced stage of construction. Once ready, it is expected to get more flights to foreign destinations. Currently, only one flight is being operated between Visakhapatnam and Singapore. The new terminal is being built by the Airport Authority India at a cost of Rs 60 crore. It is expected to open next month.
