'No. of sectors, flights at airport increased last year'

PUNE: International passenger traffic at the Lohegaon airport has grown by more than 22% from April 2014 to February 2015.
The airport stood fifth in the country in terms of percentage growth of international passengers during the period, recent data by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has shown.
In terms of percentage growth of international passenger traffic, Pune tailed behind only four of 31 airports in the country - Madurai, Bagdogra (Darjeeling), Jaipur and Trichy.
Incidentally, while the total passenger traffic growth at all airports across the country over the April-February 2014-15 period was 12.3%, it was 15.4% at the Pune airport. The domestic passenger traffic at the airport over the same period was also around 15%.
Pune airport director Manoj Kumar Gangal told TOI that the number of sectors as well as flights increased at the Pune airport over the last year. This includes the direct flights to Abu Dhabi by Jet Airways, which began in March this year. "More passengers now travel from Pune to Abu Dhabi. The flight also offers an early morning arrival in Europe, which has naturally been an immediate attraction for passengers," he said.
Gangal said the load factor at the Pune airport has improved due to fast customs and immigration clearances as well as customer-friendly facilities. The airport has got an in-principle nod from the ministry of defence for the extension of two aircraft parking stands following intervention by city MP Anil Shirole.
A senior AAI official told TOI that the rise in percentage growth of international passengers at select airports in the country points to the increasing population of NRIs there.