The third wave of Covid-19 and the restrictions imposed in the wake of it had impacted air travel at the Mangaluru International Airport.
The month of January, this year, saw a decline in the movement of domestic and international passengers at Mangaluru International Airport.
The month saw 1004 air traffic movements with 712 domestic flight operations, 248 international flight operations and 44 general aviation- chartered operations.
The MIA had welcomed 63,648 passengers and 28,364 international passengers during the month.
In December 2021, as many as 1,07,090 domestic passengers and 31,279 international passengers have travelled via Mangaluru International Airport. The airport saw 1232 flight operations during the month with 953 domestic flights, 219 international flights and 60 general aviation.
A total of 1,16,423 passengers have been welcomed at the MIA in November. This comprises 89,387 domestic passengers and 27,036 international passengers. The month had seen 1030 air traffic movements with 798 domestic flight operations, 204 international flights and 28 general aviation operations.
A total of 1,07,190 passengers have travelled via Mangaluru Airport in October. This comprises 80,704 domestic passengers and 39,134 international passengers.
The airport has handled 996 air traffic movements with 781 domestic flight operations, 201 international flight operations and 14 general aviation.
As per the data available, in 2020, the MIA welcomed 5,40,928 passengers, which rose to 7,72,555 in the year 2021, thus registering 70% growth.
No proposal to rename MIA
The Union Government had said that the State Government has not sent any proposal seeking the renaming of Mangaluru International Airport.
While replying to an unstarred question by Rajya Sabha member Subramanian Swamy, Minister of State for Civil Aviation V K Singh said: “No such proposal to rename the existing Mangaluru Airport has yet been received from the State Government. The proposals are considered after receiving recommendations from the state government with a resolution passed in the Legislative Assembly.”
Several organisations in Mangaluru have been demanding the naming of the airport after Veera Rani Abbakka -- the queen who had fought the Portuguese, or Koti and Chennaya -- the Tulu warriors.
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