CIAL in one-crore passenger club, fourth in South to acheive the fete

Kochi: Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) on Thursday set a new record by catering to one crore passengers this year, solidifying its position as the only airport in Kerala and the fourth in South India to achieve this feat.

The historic moment was marked this evening when 173 passengers boarded an IndiGo flight to Bengaluru.

CIAL now manages a staggering 63.50 per cent of the total air passengers in the state, witnessing a remarkable increase of over 20 lakh in passenger  compared to the previous year, an official statement said here.

Out of the one crore passengers in 2023, 54.04 lakh were international travellers, while 46.01 lakh were domestic passengers, it noted.

During this period, a total of 66,540 flight services were operated showcasing the airport's robust operational capabilities.

Kerala Chief Minister and CIAL Chairman, Pinarayi Vijayan expressed his satisfaction and said, "This achievement is a reflection of the efforts made by CIAL in infrastructure development and airport marketing."

He highlighted the significance of CIAL's success in an era dominated by corporate management of airports.

Vijayan disclosed that the government has instructed CIAL to facilitate the development of essential facilities to maintain and surpass this remarkable milestone.

A special celebration event was conducted to express gratitude to the passengers, where the 10 millionth passenger of CIAL in 2023, five-year-old Leyah Rinosh from Kottayam, was presented with a special memento by CIAL Managing Director S Suhas IAS, capturing the essence of this momentous occasion.