Shoma Patnaik
Panaji
Goa’s two airports – Dabolim International Airport in Vasco and Manohar International Airport at Mopa – handled 47.97 lakh international and domestic passengers between April and September this year, down from 52.7 lakh during the same period in 2025.
Combined passenger traffic across the state’s airports fell by 8.9% in the first half of 2026-27.
Aircraft movements also dropped by 13%, with 30,952 flights arriving and departing from Dabolim and Mopa compared to 35,549 flights in the corresponding months of 2025, according to aviation industry statistics.
Data from the Airports Authority of India shows that the Dabolim airport handled 27.78 lakh passengers during April-September 2026, comprising 31,474 foreign and 27.46 lakh domestic travellers. Mopa airport recorded 20.19 lakh passengers over the same period, including 87,322 international and 19.32 lakh domestic travellers.
Flight operations at Dabolim stood at 16,838 movements, consisting of 312 international and 16,526 domestic flights. Mopa recorded 14,114 flight movements, with 648 international and 13,466 domestic operations.
The report indicates that rising fuel costs triggered by global disruptions impacted the aviation sector during the six-month period, forcing airlines to scale back operations.
Across India, passenger volumes and aircraft movements fell by 3% and 3.5%, respectively. The international sector experienced a sharper drop than domestic traffic, as restricted air space led to reduced overseas
routes.
The statistics reveal that Goa’s airports experienced a higher rate of decline than the national average during this period.
Aviation experts in the state said the industry is expecting a recovery during the winter season as passenger movement increases and airlines add new flights.
The state government reduced the value added tax on aviation turbine fuel from 15% to 7%, effective October 24. Experts said the tax cut is expected to lower airfares to the state.
