Nashik airport set passenger footfall record in May this year, ET Infra
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The Nashik airport, managed by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd, recorded its highest monthly air passenger traffic in May this year.The airport handled 37,509 passengers in May, marking the highest monthly footfall since operations commenced in 2014, HAL sources said. Previously, the highest air traffic was 36,082 passengers in April.The increase resulted from enhanced air connectivity with additional cities served by the Nashik airport. Additionally, flight occupancy exceeded 90 per cent, with most flights on the Nashik–Delhi and Nashik–Bengaluru routes reaching full capacity. These factors contributed to the rise in passenger footfall at the Nashik airport, according to sources at the airport authority.Passenger numbers at the Nashik airport steadily increased over the past year due to positive responses from air travellers. In January this year, the passenger footfall was 31,737, but it declined marginally to 31,669 in February.However, the airport recorded a rise every month from March onwards. In March, the airport handled 34,221 passengers, followed by 36,082 in April and 37,509 in May.Currently, a private airline operates flights from the Nashik airport to six destinations: Delhi, Goa, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Coimbatore via Indore. The airline also plans to start flights from Nashik to Kolkata in the coming months.Higher occupancy prompted the private airline to introduce 232-seater Airbus A321 flights on the Nashik–Delhi and Nashik–Bengaluru routes from March 30. Previously, the airline operated 180-seater Airbus A320 flights on these routes. Deploying larger Airbus aircraft on the Nashik–Delhi and Nashik–Bengaluru routes also increased passenger traffic in March at Nashik Airport, sources said.In the 2024–25 financial year, the Nashik airport is expected to handle 3.4 lakh passengers, compared to 2.4 lakh in the 2023–24 financial year.The total passenger footfall for 2022–23 was 1.07 lakh.Manish Rawal, the chairman of the aviation committee of the Nashik Industries and Manufacturers' Association (Nima), said the airport has significant potential for air service, as evidenced by the increasing passenger footfall. The average passenger footfall has exceeded 1,200. However, due to the rising number of passengers, expanding the Nashik airport is necessary.Ashish Nahar, the president of Nima, said passenger footfall will surge during the upcoming Simhastha Kumbh Mela , scheduled between 2026 and 2028."Currently, the airport's capacity is 300 passengers at a time. Considering the anticipated increase in passenger numbers during the Kumbh Mela, expanding the Nashik airport is essential. We are addressing the issue with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who has assured the expansion of the Nashik airport before the Simhastha Kumbh Mela commences," he said.
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