Trivandrum International Airport in expansion spree

Even as the Indian civil aviation industry maintains a high growth trajectory, making India one of the fastest growing civil aviation markets in the world, non-metro airports are turbo-charging the industry’s growth momentum. The Trivandrum International Airport is one such non-metro airport in the country that has recorded impressive passenger growth in recent years. Speaking to Media4Growth, George G Tharakan, Airport Director, Trivandrum International Airport said that the airport handled 4.4 million passengers last year, with international passenger traffic adding up to 2.5 million.

Total passenger traffic volume increased by 13.21% in 2017-18, over the previous year, and in that domestic passenger traffic grew at a faster rate of 22%. He said that the increase in the number of domestic airlines operating at Trivandrum airport was having a positive bearing on the domestic passenger traffic growth. In 2014-15, the airport had only 6 domestic flights which has now gone up to 16.

When asked about the infrastructure development at the airport, Tharakan said that some 20 Indian airports are rated by ASQ (Airport Service Quality) survey by Airports Council International. Last quarter, Trivandrum International Airport was rated first among all AAI airports, ahead of Chennai airport, Kolkata airport, among others.

To increase the runway capacity, a parallel taxi way was created at the Trivandrum International Airport so that aircraft can vacate the runway very quickly. Tharakan said the airport will have more bays and aerobridges in the near future, in keeping with the anticipated passenger traffic increase.

Plans are afoot to expand the international terminal area for which 18 acre land is being acquired. The state government is expected to make available the land in about 3 months. Eventually, the domestic and international flight operations will be handled from a single building.

Thakaran said the airport is a hub for passengers from south Kerala and parts of Tamil Nadu. As the airport infrastructure expands and upgraded, there will be a commensurate increase in advertising business, he said, while adding that the master concessionaire Srishti Communications is set to drive the advertising business growth at the airport.