Chennai International Airport has dropped to the sixth position in India’s busiest airports list, overtaken by Kolkata’s Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, according to the latest data for the 2024–25 fiscal year. Chennai handled 22.41 million passengers, while Kolkata surpassed it with 21.83 million passengers, marking a 10.3% increase from the previous year.
This decline is attributed to several factors:
- Slower Growth Rate: Chennai’s passenger traffic grew by only 5.7% compared to higher growth rates at other major airports.
- Infrastructure Limitations: Despite a ₹2,467 crore investment in modernization, the airport faces challenges like limited direct international flights and dated passenger amenities.
- Connectivity Issues: Unlike Bengaluru and Hyderabad, which offer direct flights to destinations like Bali, Sydney, and San Francisco, Chennai remains reliant on secondary hubs for global access.
- Passenger Experience: Travelers have reported minimal dining and shopping options, inefficient transport systems within the premises, and cumbersome cab pickups.
While the Airports Authority of India (AAI) is working on improvements, including resolving connectivity issues and creating a second cab pick-up zone, frequent flyers and the travel trade community express concerns over the pace of these upgrades.
As India’s aviation sector continues to grow, with overall airport passenger traffic projected to reach 440–450 million in FY26, Chennai faces the challenge of revamping its infrastructure and services to regain its competitive edge.
