Cial passenger turnout crosses 1 core mark for fourth consecutive time

Kochi: Despite the service disruptions caused by operational constraints of certain airlines as well as the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, Cochin International Airport Limited (Cial) crossed the 1 crore passenger mark yet again. Cial achieved this for the fourth consecutive financial year. During the financial year 2025-26, it handled a total of 1,14,42,583 passengers and recorded 73,134 aircraft movements.Adding to the strong annual performance, May 2025 emerged as the busiest month of the financial year, with a total passenger traffic of over 11 lakh. Of the total passengers handled during 2025-26, international passengers accounted for over 54 lakh, while domestic passenger traffic stood at over 60 lakh. In terms of aircraft movements, Cial recorded 31,505 international aircraft movements and 41,629 domestic aircraft movements during the period, reflecting balanced growth across both domestic and international sectors. Despite challenges arising from certain operational constraints faced by airlines during the second part of 2025, as well as temporary disruptions in the international aviation sector linked to geopolitical developments in Middle East region during Feb–March 2026, Cial registered a healthy passenger growth of 2.2% during 2025-26, officials informed. Cial managing director S Suhas said that the airport's sustained growth has been driven by continuous improvements in infrastructure, passenger facilitation and operational efficiency under Cial 2.0 transformation initiative. He noted that the modernisation programmes implemented have significantly enhanced passenger convenience through technology-enabled services and faster processing systems, helping Cial maintain high standards in service delivery while accommodating rising passenger volumes.