Hyderabad: Around 20 million passengers travelled from the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) in Shamshabad between January and November 2019, airport sources said.
The top five international destinations that were connected with the RGIA were the US, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Thailand while the top five domestic destinations connected from Hyderabad were Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata and Chennai.
Eight new domestic destinations — Jharsguda, Gorakhpur, Kishangarh, Gwalior, Belgaum, Mysuru, Nasik and Tiruchirapalli were also connected with the RGIA this year.
According to officials, the RGIA is the best connected airport in the south and central India with 55 non-stop domestic destinations. It is 6th busiest airport in India in terms of air traffic movement.
The GMR-led Hyderabad airport has come a long way since it became operational in 2008. As India’s first modern greenfield airport developed in public-private partnership, the It has consistently raised its bar both in terms of service and operational excellence, the officials said.
The airport has experienced robust growth in passenger traffic over a period of time, with a four-year compound annual growth rate of around 20 per cent from financial years 2015 to 2019.
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The RGIA is located strategically at the geographical centre of India within two hours flying time to all major cities in India. It is also well-positioned globally within a five-hour radius from all major cities in the Middle East and Southeast Asia.
As the fastest growing airport in the south, the airport has the potential to not only become one of the main air travel hubs in India, but also an important centre for destination-cum-transit location for travel between the eastern and western parts of the world.
Currently, there are 25 passenger airlines connecting 71 destinations — both domestic and international. In line with the directive given by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security, the RGIA commenced a three-month trial of body scanner for passengers on a voluntary basis at its domestic departure terminal from October 12, 2019.
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