Bengaluru airport among top performers, receives government appreciation for sustained operational excellence

Bengaluru: The 134th Board Meeting of Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), chaired by the Chief Secretary, Government of Karnataka, reviewed the key achievements, performance highlights, and developmental initiatives undertaken by the Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru during FY 2025-26.

At the meeting, the Board noted that the airport had crossed the significant milestone of 400 million passengers in April 2026, since Airport Opening Day.

The milestone marks an important moment in the airport’s growth journey and reinforces Bengaluru’s rising position as a leading aviation, business, innovation, and cargo gateway for South and Central India.

The Board placed on record its appreciation for the MD and the entire BIAL team for their outstanding performance during the year, despite several challenges encountered across the aviation sector.

The Board also acknowledged the airport’s continued focus on developmental projects, operational excellence, passenger satisfaction, and global service standards.

During FY 2025-26, KIA handled 44.47 million passengers and 532,000 tonnes of cargo, reflecting strong and sustained momentum across both passenger and cargo segments.

Growth was driven by a significant surge in international passenger traffic, steady domestic demand, and strengthening cargo operations.

International traffic led the growth, rising 23.9 percent to 7.23 million passengers, while domestic traffic grew 3.3 percent to 37.24 million passengers, taking overall passenger traffic up 6.2 percent year-on-year.

This performance, despite geopolitical and sectoral headwinds, reflects Bengaluru’s increasing global relevance as a business and innovation hub. KIA currently offers non-stop connectivity to more than 78 domestic and 34 international destinations.

Operational performance scaled in line with traffic growth, with 280,800 air traffic movements recorded during the year, a 4.5 percent year-on-year increase. Average daily movements stood at 769, with a peak of 837 movements in a single day.

Passenger traffic also reached a record high, with 139,111 passengers handled in a single day.

KIA’s cargo business maintained steady growth, handling 532,000 tonnes, up 6 percent year-on-year. The growth was supported by a strong network of 15 cargo airlines operating across 38 destinations, connecting Bengaluru to key global hubs including Chicago, Singapore, London Heathrow, Frankfurt, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong.

Demand was driven by a diverse mix of agri-perishables, pharmaceuticals, auto parts, spare parts, electrical and electronics goods, and e-commerce.

Perishables continued to be a strong growth driver, with KIA retaining its position as India’s leading gateway for perishable exports for the fifth consecutive year.

The airport handled approximately 60 million rose stems during the year, with volumes up 38 percent and tonnage rising 64 percent.

Mango exports grew 12 percent to a five-year high, while coriander volumes increased 13 percent year-on-year.