Madurai airport traffic dips amid Gulf tensions, IndiGo disruptions

Madurai: Madurai International Airport recorded a marginal decline in aircraft movements and passenger traffic in 2025-26, with airport officials attributing the dip to disruptions in Gulf services owing to the Middle East crisis and operational issues faced by IndiGo.Official data showed aircraft movements fell from 13,820 in 2024-25 to 13,100 in 2025-26, while passenger traffic declined from 13.9 lakh to 13.8 lakh.“There is a dip of around 10,000 passengers. This can be attributed to the war scenario and disruptions in IndiGo operations,” airport director P Muthu Kumar told reporters on Saturday while announcing the launch of Yatri Suvidha Divas, a passenger outreach initiative beginning on June 15.The airport currently operates domestic flights to Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Delhi, Mumbai and Navi Mumbai, besides international services to Colombo, Dubai and Abu Dhabi. However, services to the Middle East operated by IndiGo and Air Arabia were affected by the ongoing conflict in the region, he said.Madurai Airport was accorded international airport status by the Union cabinet in March. At present, Colombo is the only destination for which Madurai serves as a designated point of call.

Asked whether the facility would be extended to other countries through bilateral air service agreements, Muthu Kumar said the airport was expecting a positive response from the Union civil aviation ministry. “We are also working with industry bodies such as CII and the Tamil Nadu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which have been taking up these demands with the government,” he said.Despite the decline in passenger traffic, cargo movement registered strong growth.

Freight handled by the airport increased from 3,494 tonnes in 2024-25 to 4,444 tonnes in 2025-26.The airport’s financial performance also improved, with losses reducing from ₹13 crore in 2023-24 to ₹2.7 crore in 2025-26, aided by an increase in the user development fee, the director said.As part of Yatri Suvidha Divas, the airport will organise tree plantation drives, blood donation camps, free health check-ups and airport visits for Class XII students from neighbouring schools to introduce them to career opportunities in aviation. Passenger feedback sessions will also be held to improve service delivery.