Pune Airport maintains 9th spot in India’s passenger traffic rankings

Santosh Dhoke, Pune Airport director, confirmed that Pune airport has consistently ranked as the ninth busiest airport in India over the last two years. “The Ministry monitors passenger footfall across all airports every month, and once again, Pune has maintained its ninth position,” he stated.

Dhoke elaborated on the categorisation of airports, explaining that customs airports primarily serve domestic flights but are equipped with customs and immigration facilities to handle limited international operations.

“International airports, on the other hand, are designed for flights between countries with advanced customs, immigration, and passenger amenities. Domestic airports primarily facilitate regional and inter-city connectivity. Customs airports act as a bridge, offering some international services while being categorized as customs facilities,” he said.

As per the official information, Pune airport was designated a customs airport on January 17, 1997, initially to facilitate the export of perishable agricultural products.

In October, Kochi airport, a joint venture international Airport, ranked eighth with 8,93,918 passengers, while Pune was one position ahead of Goa-Dabolim airport, ranking 10th with 6,00,516 passengers recorded. Additionally, Delhi topped the list with 64 lakh passengers, followed by Mumbai with 44 lakh passengers.

Pune airport’s consistent nineth position highlights its growing importance as a critical hub in India’s aviation and cargo network.