Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) has shown a robust growth in both air traffic movements and passenger volume in 2021 compared to 2020. As per data released from the airport, CIAL handled 43,06,661 passengers during 2021 against 33,37,830 during 2020, an increase of almost a million. Aircraft movement also witnessed a growth from 30,737 in 2020 to 41,437 in 2021.
With the sustained growth rate, CIAL retained its position as the third airport in the country in terms of international traffic throughout the year 2021.
It handled 18,69,690 international passengers in 2021 against 14,82,004 during 2020. The domestic passenger volume increased from 18,55,826 to 24,36,971. CIAL managing director S. Suhas attributed the traffic growth to the proactive measures taken by the CIAL management to attract more airlines.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the board of directors have consistently made efforts to re-establish air connectivity to Kochi from all international travel hubs. By December 2021, CIAL was able to facilitate 185 weekly departures to the Middle East alone in addition to the services to Europe, Sri Lanka and the far east, the managing director was cited as saying in a communication here
Last year also saw the resumption of direct flights to the UK and Singapore. Air Arabia started daily operations to Abu Dhabi for the first time in India in addition to its Sharjah services. Domestic sector witnessed growth at par with the pre-pandemic period. As per the winter schedule from October 2021, 50 departures were scheduled per day.
CIAL’s timely response to the UAE’s supreme council of disaster management’s guidelines helped the airport host the UAE services from July itself. Subsequently, CIAL ramped up both rapid PCR and RT-PCR testing and now the cumulative capacity of the three testing labs stationed at the airport has been enhanced to 900 at a time, the communication added.
