Domestic passenger traffic at Goa airport is getting back to normal as the facility has recorded about 75% footfall so far this year compared to the same period last year during pre-COVID-19 times, an official said on Sunday.
Goa airport’s director Gagan Malik said that the number of domestic flights are also increasing amid the unlock process, even as scheduled and chartered international travel continues to remain suspended.
‘Expected to pick up’
After the lockdown in March this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, India resumed its scheduled domestic passenger flights from May 25. Mr. Malik said that since the airport reopened for domestic travel, the passenger flow has returned to 70-75% now compared to last year, and is expected to pick up further next month, which is the peak tourist season in the State.
“The domestic passenger footfalls are expected to cross 80% in December,” he said. On an average, 11,000 passengers arrive and depart from the Goa airport on weekdays, while on weekends, the number reaches about 13,500, he said.
Goa has been witnessing an inflow of visitors as hotels, restaurants and other places of tourist interests have opened up as part of the unlock process.
New routes
Mr. Malik said 50% of the domestic flights have resumed, and are likely to go up to 60-65% next month.
Besides reactivating older routes, airlines have also connected new routes like Lucknow, Nagpur, Chandigarh during the unlock phase, he said.
As per the standard operating procedures laid down by the State government, two thermal scanners have been installed to check the outgoing and incoming passengers, the official said.
