Sharp decline reported during April-June
Panaji: The international passenger traffic from Dabolim airport has plunged by 69 per cent, just as it has dipped by 42 per cent at Mopa airport during April-June, thus being among the steepest declines recorded across Indian airports.
At the national level, the international traffic from India dropped by 10 per cent during the first quarter of the financial year, with Indian carriers losing 27 per cent of passengers while foreign airlines gaining 6 per cent.
The latest data released by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has further informed that the share of international passengers carried by Indian airlines has fallen from 46 per cent to 37 per cent.
Among Indian airlines, Akasa Air recorded a 26 per cent increase in international passengers. In contrast, IndiGo saw a 15 per cent decline, while Air India Express and SpiceJet recorded a fall of 51 per cent and 56 per cent respectively.
For Goa, the sharp reduction in international connectivity may have a direct bearing on the tourism sector, particularly during periods when overseas visitor arrivals are expected to support the local economy.
The latest figures also highlight the growing importance of maintaining a wider international network from both airports.
Meanwhile, the Dabolim airport has slipped 12 places in the global Airport Service Quality (ASQ) rankings in the second quarter of 2026, falling from 65th position in first quarter to 77th in the second quarter.
The airport’s passenger satisfaction score also declined from 4.94 out of 5 in January-March to 4.89 during April-June, as per the ASQ survey.
Among a total of 16 major airports under the Airport Authority of India surveyed in India, Dabolim airport stood 8th, marginally above the AAI average of 4.88.
Despite the decline, it has continued to perform above the global average of 4.38 and the benchmark target of 4.68.
