Mangalore: The Mangalore International Airport (Bajpe and Kenjaru) which is completing 60 years of public service in 2011 with Bajpe as the original airport until June 2010 and Kenjaru thereafter, has seen an ever-increasing rush of passengers going abroad or returning home on vacation.
In the first 7 months of 2011, the city airport (MIA) has recorded 4.74 lakhs already, as against the 4.83 lakhs passengers passing through for the whole of 2010.
International traffic rose from 1.38 lakh passengers to 1.46 lakh passengers, while the domestic traffic (touching Mangalore on way) increased to 3.37 lakhs passengers, said M.R.Vasudeva Rao, director of MIA. The volume of flight movements however, were on the decrease, he added. It was 6,288 in 2010, but now it is 5,572 in 2011.
Winter season traffic may add 25 millions, with weekly air movements rising to 194 (from 147) and the passenger traffic could easily push up to 9 lakh by end of 2011, Rao reported on Wednesday (August 24) in a press release.