59% increase in flights, footfall rises by 109%

CHENNAI: Flight operations in Chennai airport have gone back to pre-COVID time – when a regular number of flight services, both passenger and cargo, have resumed with a standard timetable.

Flight services in both categories have increased remarkably as well, said airport sources. In the last two years, due to COVID-induced lockdown and restrictions, flight services were restricted. And the cargo department especially was badly affected.

Airport sources said that in 2021, over 1.44 lakh tonnes of cargo were handled by the Chennai airport cargo department. From April to August this year, it has handled over 1.51 lakh tonnes of cargo, which is 4.6 % more than 2021. And officials believe the numbers could go higher by the end of 2022.

While the cargo department has started to function normally, the number of passengers has also increased at Chennai airport.

In August this year, the Chennai airport recorded a footfall of 14.62 lakh passengers and around 10,920 flights were operated at the Chennai airport. Meanwhile, when compared to August 2021, only 6,884 flights were operated last year, and the footfall was 7.04 lakh.

Airport officials said that the flights have increased by 59% while the footfall doubled by 109%. “In 2020, from April to August, 872 flights were operated, and the footfall was 23.74 lakh,” the official added. “This year, from April to August, 54,777 flights were operated, and the footfall is about 71.75 lakh.”

An airport official said that all departments in the Chennai airport have started to operate normally, especially cargo services.