New Delhi, January 8: The Indira Gandhi International Airport in the national capital has become south Asia’s first airport to handle over 6 crore passengers in a year. Despite facing infrastructure crunch and a surge in demand for air travel, IGI airport was much ahead of big hubs in Asia in 2017.
“Indira Gandhi airport and Guangzhou’s Baiyun reached 6 crore annual passengers for the first time in late November. Singapore’s Changi hit the same mark on December 18, and Seoul Incheon crossed the milestone on December 21. Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport handled 6 crore passengers several days after Changi,” says a report by CAPA — Centre for Aviation.
According to Times of India, 14 airports globally handled more than 6 crore passengers in 2016, out of which only four were in Asia — Beijing Capital, Tokyo Henada, Hong Kong International and Shanghai Pudong. Five other Asian airports crossed the number for the first time in 2017.
“Kuala Lumpur International and Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta should reach 6 crore annual passengers in 2018. Mumbai, Taipei and three airports in mainland China — Chengdu, Kunming and Shenzhen — will likely reach the milestone within the next few years,” CAPA said.
Delhi International Airport Pvt Ltd (DIAL) is yet to come with its annual passenger data for 2017. In 2016, IGIA had seen 5.5 crore passengers — a first for any Indian airport to cross the 5 crore mark. In 2016, Mumbai handled 4.4 crore passengers. Both Delhi and Mumbai are going to get second airports in the next five to six years.
IGIA is likely to undergo a three-phase expansion and will be able to handle 11 crore passengers annually by 2024-25.