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Amritsar's international airport reports record-breaking surge in passenger traffic
Significant increase in international and domestic travel highlights airport's growing importance
Sri Guru Ram Das Jee (SGRDJ) International Airport in Amritsar / Image-Wikipedia
Punjab's Sri Guru Ram Das Jee (SGRDJ) International Airport in Amritsar has soared past its counterparts across India, boasting a remarkable 35.9% surge in international passenger traffic for February 2024 compared to the same period in 2023.
According to data released by the Airport Authority of India, the airport welcomed 94,625 international passengers last month, marking a historic high for February and the third-highest tally in its history. This achievement follows a record-breaking December 2023, which saw 106,813 international passengers, and January 2024, with 96,924 passengers.
Sameep Singh Gumtala, the FlyAmritsar Initiative Global Convener & Overseas Secretary of the NGO Amritsar Vikas Manch, credited this growth to the addition of new international flights since April 2023. Routes to Kuala Lumpur, Milan, Rome, London, and Birmingham have bolstered international aircraft movements, reaching 474 in February 2024, up from 402 in February 2023. Notably, more Punjabis are opting for direct international flights from Amritsar over Delhi.
Gumtala emphasized the significance of domestic traffic growth, which rose by 13.6% to 190,866 passengers, the third-highest ever recorded. He attributed this surge to inflated airfares on the Delhi-Amritsar route due to ongoing farmer protests. Despite a modest 0.4% increase in domestic aircraft movements, passenger traffic surged by nearly 23,000 passengers, underscoring the preference of many from Punjab to travel directly from Amritsar.
February 2024 saw a total passenger footfall of 285,491, the second-highest ever, trailing December 2023's remarkable 338,512 passengers. Despite surpassing 10,000 daily passengers, Gumtala expressed disappointment with the Sardar Bhagwant Mann Government's neglect of Amritsar Airport. He criticized the lack of bus connectivity with other cities in Punjab, contrasting it with the state's focus on promoting bus routes to Delhi airport.
Currently, SGRDJ International Airport connects with nine international and eleven domestic destinations, including London, Birmingham, Doha, Dubai, Sharjah, Milan, Rome, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Srinagar, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Kolkata, Shimla, Kullu, and Pune.
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