Shoma Patnaik
Panaji
Air traffic volume has taken a major hit at Dabolim airport during the ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East with the airport handling fewer airlines and passengers since the conflict began.
According to an air traffic report released by the Airport Authority of India, the airport’s international as well as domestic operations have been adversely affected between January and March, a period which is marked by turbulence in the aviation sector.
In terms of aircraft movement, the number of international takeoffs and landings at Dabolim airport dropped to 18 flights in March, from 143 flights in January.
In the domestic sector the airport saw the number dropped to 3,053 flights in March, from 3,329 flights in January.
International passengers at the airport declined to 3,174 travellers in March (24,174 passengers in January), while the domestic footfall fell to 5,08,785 travellers from 5,80,414 in January. Overall in 2025-26, the airport’s total aircraft movement (international and domestic) decreased by 15 per cent, to 38,127 aircraft from 44,966 in 2024-25.
The total passenger footfall in 2025-26 stood at 6.1 million passengers, as against 7.2 million passengers in the previous
year.
Significantly, at Manohar International Airport, Mopa, total aircraft movement and passengers increased by 21 per cent and 15.8 per cent respectively in 2025-26.
The statistics disclosed by the AAI revealed that several airports witnessed adverse international operations in 2025-26 due to the closure of air spaces, detours taken by airlines and the cancellation of flights.
Domestic travel also got indirectly impacted as airlines cut down on flights due to increase in fuel cost and other charges. With the hike in air ticket rates the number of travellers has decreased.
In 2025-26, international aircraft movements at all airports in India decreased by 21 per cent, while the fall in international travellers was by 18 per cent. Domestic travel grew modestly across airports.
International travel in May is expected to pick up as airlines get used to the changes taking place in the world.
