Madurai: Madurai International Airport experienced a slight decline in aircraft movements and passenger traffic during the fiscal year 2025-26, with airport officials pointing to disruptions in Gulf services caused by the ongoing Middle East crisis and operational challenges faced by IndiGo.
Official data revealed that aircraft movements dropped from 13,820 in 2024-25 to 13,100 in 2025-26, while passenger traffic decreased from 13.9 lakh to 13.8 lakh over the same period.
“There is a dip of around 10,000 passengers. This can be attributed to the war scenario and disruptions in IndiGo operations,” said airport director P Muthu Kumar during a press conference on Saturday, where he also announced the launch of Yatri Suvidha Divas, a passenger outreach initiative starting June 15.
The airport currently operates domestic flights to Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Delhi, Mumbai, and Navi Mumbai, along with international services to Colombo, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi. However, services to the Middle East operated by IndiGo and Air Arabia were impacted by the regional conflict, he added.
Madurai Airport was granted international airport status by the Union cabinet in March this year. Presently, Colombo is the only destination for which Madurai serves as a designated point of call. When asked whether this facility would be extended to other countries through bilateral air service agreements, Muthu Kumar expressed optimism about 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 dip in passenger traffic, cargo movement at the airport recorded strong growth. Freight handled increased from 3,494 tonnes in 2024-25 to 4,444 tonnes in 2025-26.
The airport’s financial performance also improved significantly, 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 noted.
As part of Yatri Suvidha Divas, the airport will organize tree plantation drives, blood donation camps, free health check-ups, and airport visits for Class XII students from neighboring schools to introduce them to career opportunities in aviation. Passenger feedback sessions will also be held to improve service delivery.
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