Currently, Kempegowda airport is connected to 21 destinations in 17 countries operating through 24 airlines. Some more routes will be added from the airport later this year. BLR will also strenghten its existing route to San Francisco (Air India) with United Airlines set to launch weekly flights in October, says Hari Marar, MD & CEO, BIAL.
Following resumption of international flights from India, Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru (BLR Airport) has been witnessing 25 daily international departures. The airport has reinstated more than 90 per cent routes compared to pre-COVID-19 times. With the gradual increase in international operations, the BLR Airport’s route network is expected to augment with the resumption of routes and additional flights to cater to the demand.
Air travel recovery is likely to grow faster following resumption of international operations. While passenger traffic recovery in CY 2021 was only 19 per cent (vs pre-Covid CY 2019) due to travel curbs and cross-border entry, it may grow in the coming months, driven by strong high-yielding leisure and business travel demand from the city of Bengaluru.
Pre-COVID-19, the airport was connected to 25 international destinations, with an average of 40 international departures each day. Despite the subdued pandemic climate in 2020 as well as 2021, the BLR achieved some significant accomplishments in CY 2021
- With Air India’s bi-weekly, non-stop Bengaluru-San Francisco flight, it became the first airport in South and Central India to have a non-stop connectivity to North America
- Japan Airlines weekly flights to Tokyo Narita (expected to increase frequency of flights between BLR-NRT)
- United Airlines and American Airlines announced flight operations to BLR Airport despite the pandemic (expected to start later this year)
Currently, the airport is connected to 21 destinations in 17 countries operating through 24 airlines, and it will be adding newer routes later this year to Seattle (American Airlines). It will be strengthening its existing route to San Francisco (Air India) with United Airlines set to launch weekly flights in October, connecting the world’s two biggest tech hubs—Bengaluru and San Francisco.
“Delivering superior customer experience and consistently improving operational efficiency has become a strategic priority as passenger volumes are expected to grow over the next few months. The timely announcement of the resumption of international flight operations ahead of the busy summer travel season has set a positive tone for the industry. With continuous infrastructure development and technology integrations, BLR Airport is well prepared to handle larger passenger volumes,” said Hari Marar, MD & CEO, BIAL.
Increase in passenger flow
To address the expected rise in passenger traffic and make the experience more seamless, Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL)—operator of the BLR Airport—has deployed automation-enabled technology at various checkpoints such as terminal entry, check-in, security check, immigration, and customs. The existing technology such as self-baggage drops, smart security lane with automated tray retrieval system, along with other contactless technology will improve the overall airport experience. The domestic passenger traffic recovery has been promising (with recovery of 80 per cent traffic compared to pre-COVID-19 levels).
