Mangalore : Mangalore International Airport director J T Radhakrishna in a press release stated that the local airport has been used by 6.57 lakh air passengers in the first six months of this financial year. Although the total number of air passengers during the half year has been registered with the increase of four percent, but passenger traffic within the country from city has been a declined.

It also stated that, 2.38 lakh passengers from and to foreign destinations travelled through this airport, whereas 4.19 lakh passengers travelled within India from April to September 30 this year. The international passengers last year was 1.92 lakh and around 4.40 lakh passengers used this airport for and from destinations within the country.

However, passengers leaving to smaller towns like Trichy, Madurai, Tirupati, Bhopal, Ahmedabad and Bhubaneshwar, has been declined during this period. While there was 15 percent increase of movement of passengers at this airport in 2012-13 and 21 percent increase in 2013-14.

He also said that the number of passengers may increase up if operators start operating new flights to national and international destinations from Mangalore.