Its initial design capacity of 25mppa also effectively means that Bengaluru Kempegowda will be capable of handling up to 55 million passengers annually across its two terminals. A planned 200,000sqm expansion of Terminal 2 in the second phase of the facility’s development will raise the airport’s capacity to 75mppa. In terms of its IT systems, BIAL insists that its investment in state-of-the-art technology as part of “a comprehensive digital transformation programme” started a few years ago will ensure that T2 delivers an enhanced customer experience and improved operational efficiency while at the same time creating new revenue generating opportunities for the airport. TRAFFIC AND ROUTE NETWORK Like most major airports across the globe, BLR didn’t escape last year’s COVID-19 caused downturn in traffic, experiencing a 66% decline in passenger numbers and a 12.7% drop in cargo volumes as 10.91 million passengers and 326,372 tonnes of freight passed through its facilities in 2020. BIAL notes that pre-COVID, Bengaluru Kempegowda enjoyed a healthy traffic mix, with domestic destinations accounting for 86% of its passengers and international
flights for around 14%, with the most popular routes being to the Indian cities of Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Pune and Kolkata and the international destinations of Dubai, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok and Colombo. COVID related travel restrictions meant that this market share inevitably changed in 2020, and although BLR has continued to witness the launch of new international services (Addis Ababa, Amsterdam, San Francisco and Tokyo Narita) and see the return of others grounded during the pandemic, the traffic mix today is more like 96% domestic and 4% international.
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Marar notes that BIAL wants the new the 255,000 squaremetre T2 to be a leader in its use and adoption of new technology; have so many ‘green’ areas that it is viewed almost as a terminal in a garden; be known for its environmental and ecological stewardship; and be a facility that celebrates and showcases the rich heritage and culture of the Indian state of Karnataka.
However, with a handful of new international routes expected to be introduced later this year as aviation continues to bounce back from the pandemic – American Airlines is due to commence a Bengaluru-Seattle service in November; United Airlines will launch flights to San Francisco in December; and Lufthansa is expected to start a Bengaluru-Munich service before the end of the year – BIAL is confident that the figures will slowly begin to return to pre-COVID levels over the next 12 to 24 months. In 2019, the biggest airlines at the airport in terms of market share were IndiGo, AirAsia India, SpiceJet, GoAir and Air India, which between them accounted for 94% of all domestic traffic. The top five carriers internationally were Emirates, IndiGo, Air India, Etihad and Singapore Airlines, which between them handled 48% of BLR’s international traffic. Pre-COVID, BIAL predicted that the airport would be handling around 55 to 65 million passengers per annum by 2025, and although these figures might seem optimistic now, it remains positive about the future.
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