Nashik airport set passenger footfall record in May this yr
Nashik: The Nashik airport, managed by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd, recorded its highest monthly air passenger traffic in May this year.
The airport handled 37,509 passengers in May, marking the highest monthly footfall since operations commenced in 2014, HAL sources said.
Previously, the highest air traffic was 36,082 passengers in April.
The increase resulted from enhanced air connectivity with additional cities served by the Nashik airport. Additionally, flight occupancy exceeded 90%, with most flights on the Nashik-Delhi and Nashik-Bengaluru routes reaching full capacity. These factors contributed to the rise in passenger footfall at the Nashik airport, according to sources at the airport authority.
Passenger numbers at the Nashik airport steadily increased over the past year due to positive responses from air travellers. In Jan this year, the passenger footfall was 31,737, but it declined marginally to 31,669 in Feb.
However, the airport recorded a rise every month from March onwards. In March, the airport handled 34,221 passengers, followed by 36,082 in April and 37,509 in May.
Currently, a private airline operates flights from the Nashik airport to six destinations: Delhi, Goa, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Coimbatore via Indore.
The airline also plans to start flights from Nashik to Kolkata in the coming months.
Higher occupancy prompted the private airline to introduce 232-seater Airbus A321 flights on the Nashik-Delhi and Nashik-Bengaluru routes from March 30. Previously, the airline operated 180-seater Airbus A320 flights on these routes. Deploying larger Airbus aircraft on the Nashik-Delhi and Nashik-Bengaluru routes also increased passenger traffic in March at Nashik Airport, sources said.
In the 2024-25 financial year, the Nashik airport is expected to handle 3.4 lakh passengers, compared to 2.4 lakh in the 2023-24 financial year.
The total passenger footfall for 2022-23 was 1.07 lakh.
Manish Rawal, the chairman of the aviation committee of the Nashik Industries and Manufacturers' Association (Nima), said the airport has significant potential for air service, as evidenced by the increasing passenger footfall.
The average passenger footfall has exceeded 1,200. However, due to the rising number of passengers, expanding the Nashik airport is necessary.
Ashish Nahar, the president of Nima, said passenger footfall at will surge during the upcoming Simhastha Kumbh Mela, scheduled between 2026 and 2028.
"Currently, the airport's capacity is 300 passengers at a time. Considering the anticipated increase in passenger numbers during the Kumbh Mela, expanding the Nashik airport is essential. We are addressing the issue with chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, who has assured the expansion of the Nashik airport before the Simhastha Kumbh Mela commences," he said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Nashik Airport Achieves Record Passenger Traffic in May Amid Growing Connectivity, ET Infra
Advt Advt The Nashik airport , managed by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd , recorded its highest monthly air passenger traffic in May this airport handled 37,509 passengers in May, marking the highest monthly footfall since operations commenced in 2014, HAL sources said. Previously, the highest air traffic was 36,082 passengers in increase resulted from enhanced air connectivity with additional cities served by the Nashik airport. Additionally, flight occupancy exceeded 90 per cent, with most flights on the Nashik-Delhi and Nashik-Bengaluru routes reaching full capacity. These factors contributed to the rise in passenger footfall at the Nashik airport, according to sources at the airport numbers at the Nashik airport steadily increased over the past year due to positive responses from air travellers. In Jan this year, the passenger footfall was 31,737, but it declined marginally to 31,669 in the airport recorded a rise every month from March onwards. In March, the airport handled 34,221 passengers, followed by 36,082 in April and 37,509 in a private airline operates flights from the Nashik airport to six destinations: Delhi, Goa, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Coimbatore via Indore. The airline also plans to start flights from Nashik to Kolkata in the coming occupancy prompted the private airline to introduce 232-seater Airbus A321 flights on the Nashik-Delhi and Nashik-Bengaluru routes from March 30. Previously, the airline operated 180-seater Airbus A320 flights on these routes. Deploying larger Airbus aircraft on the Nashik-Delhi and Nashik-Bengaluru routes also increased passenger traffic in March at Nashik Airport, sources the 2024-25 financial year, the Nashik airport is expected to handle 3.4 lakh passengers, compared to 2.4 lakh in the 2023-24 financial total passenger footfall for 2022-23 was 1.07 Rawal, the chairman of the aviation committee of the Nashik Industries and Manufacturers' Association (Nima), said the airport has significant potential for air service, as evidenced by the increasing passenger footfall. The average passenger footfall has exceeded 1,200. However, due to the rising number of passengers, expanding the Nashik airport is Nahar, the president of Nima, said passenger footfall at will surge during the upcoming Simhastha Kumbh Mela , scheduled between 2026 and 2028."Currently, the airport's capacity is 300 passengers at a time. Considering the anticipated increase in passenger numbers during the Kumbh Mela, expanding the Nashik airport is essential. We are addressing the issue with chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, who has assured the expansion of the Nashik airport before the Simhastha Kumbh Mela commences," he said.
News18
2 hours ago
- News18
Vietnam Airlines Plane's Wing Slices Parked Aircraft's Tail At Hanoi Airport
Last Updated: The Airbus A321, which was preparing to depart for Dien Bien, was struck on the tail by the moving Boeing Dreamliner aircraft A Vietnam Airlines Boeing 787 taxiing for takeoff to Ho Chi Minh City collided with a stationary Airbus A321 from the same fleet on the tarmac of Hanoi's Noi Bai Airport around 2:00 PM on Friday, said officials. The Airbus A321, which was preparing to depart for Dien Bien, was struck on the tail by the moving Boeing Dreamliner aircraft, according to VNExpress. A dramatic video of the incident, which surfaced on social media, captured the moment the Boeing jet's right wing sliced through the tail stabiliser of the stationary Airbus. The officials said that no injuries were reported among the passengers or crew members. On Thursday, June 27, 2025, two #VietnamAirlines aircraft were involved in a ground collision at #Hanoi Noi Bai International Airport (HAN) in #Vietnam.🎥 ©️ @phamtung2588 #Boeing #B787 #Dreamliner #Airbus #A321 #aviation #avgeek #flights #travel #traveler — FlightMode (@FlightModeblog) June 28, 2025 The Boeing aircraft sustained visible damage to its wingtip, and both jets were promptly grounded following the incident. Replacement flights were organised later in the day to ensure all 386 affected passengers reached their destinations. In the aftermath of the collision, Vietnam Airlines has suspended all four pilots involved—two from each aircraft—with an official investigation pending. This designation signals a significant operational disruption, prompting the temporary closure of a runway or taxiway. The CAAV promised a thorough review to assess whether any procedural lapses or protocol failures played a role in the incident. First Published: June 30, 2025, 16:06 IST
Time of India
5 hours ago
- Time of India
Uttam Radar not so Uttam for Tejas? HAL picks imported Israeli radar over DRDO's desi AESA radar
Hindustan Aeronautics will equip Tejas Mk1A with foreign systems. It reverses the decision to use DRDO's indigenous radar and EW suite. HAL cites certification delays as the reason. DRDO contests this claim, stating its systems are ready. Experts debate the impact on India's strategic autonomy. The decision sparks discussion on balancing operational needs and indigenization goals. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads HAL issues Letter of Intent to Israeli firm DRDO contests certification delay claims Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads What makes AESA radar critical Experts react to HAL's decision The larger question: strategic autonomy In a setback to India's defence indigenisation efforts, Hindustan Aeronautics HAL ) has reportedly decided to equip the final batch of Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mk1A with imported radar and electronic warfare systems. As per reports, the state-run firm will use Israeli ELTA Systems ' components instead of the Defence Research and Development Organisation's ( DRDO ) homegrown Uttam AESA radar and Swayam Raksha Kavach (SRK) EW has reportedly issued a Letter of Intent to Israel's ELTA Systems for supplying radar and EW systems for 43 out of the 83 Tejas Mk1A jets ordered by the Indian Air Force under a ₹48,000 crore deal signed in 2021. This move reverses HAL's earlier decision to start integrating the indigenous DRDO systems from the 41st aircraft onward.'The DRDO radar and EW suite are not fully certified for production,' a HAL official told India TodayThe company cited delays in certification by the Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification ( CEMILAC ) as the reason behind choosing the foreign DRDO officials disagree with HAL's explanation, stating that the Uttam AESA radar was cleared for production in 2023. According to DRDO, an official communication from April 2025 confirmed that four key stages of flight trials and hardware qualification had been completed, and CEMILAC had advised HAL to begin subsystem production.'We've asked HAL for more time. Full certification of the SRK suite will be ready before production reaches the 41st aircraft,' a senior DRDO official told India Today. DRDO has also proposed using a hybrid setup that combines the indigenous radar with imported EW systems in the (Active Electronically Scanned Array) radar is a key technology in modern fighter jets. Unlike traditional radar systems that use mechanical movement, AESA radars use multiple small transmit/receive modules to steer the beam electronically. This allows faster detection of targets, simultaneous tracking of multiple threats, and greater resistance to Uttam radar uses Gallium Arsenide-based modules and can track more than 50 targets at over 100 km. It is modular and scalable, which means it can also be used in future Indian platforms such as the AMCA and upgraded comparison, Israel's EL/M-2052 radar can track more than 60 targets and supports air-to-air, air-to-ground, and maritime roles. However, experts warn that it is dependent on foreign supply chains and source code, which may create risks during war or experts do not see the move as a rejection of indigenous technology. Rajiv Nayan from the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses told Navbharat Times, 'Such contracts clearly state which systems will be used, and altering that at a later stage is rarely possible.'Nayan also said, 'There is often speculation about sub-par performance, but that is not the case with the Uttam radar. India is in the process of developing world-class weapon systems, and the radar will certainly be integrated at a later stage.' He added that indigenous systems had proved their capability during Operation the question of foreign influence, Nayan said, 'No lobby can derail a capable system. Only if a system is genuinely not up to the mark does such pressure become effective.' However, other defence experts quoted in the Navbharat Times report admitted that foreign lobbies—especially from the U.S., Israel, and France—try to reduce the use of Indian components in agree that India must continue to support its domestic technologies. They said, 'We have to place our trust in Indian systems, even if there are minor shortcomings. Continuous operational use is the only way to improve them and secure our strategic autonomy.'The decision by HAL has triggered a wider debate on the balance between operational readiness and indigenisation goals. As India moves forward with major defence programs, the outcome of such choices will likely shape the future of domestic defence manufacturing.
