The Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL), managing the fourth busiest airport in India for international traffic, is set to capitalize on the expected domestic travel boom by expanding its domestic passenger terminal and increasing aircraft parking bays.
The airport management has outlined a vision for growth, aiming to become a regional hub by 2034. According to CIAL Managing Director S Suhas, the Kochi airport aims to become the preferred tourist gateway to South India by leveraging the state’s tourism potential and enhancing both domestic and international connectivity.
The airport has planned a series of projects based on macroeconomic indicators, such as the gross state domestic product and tourism statistics, as well as projected traffic demand and expansion plans of Indian and foreign carriers. After expanding the international terminal T-3, the focus will shift to the domestic terminal T-1, which will be increased by another 1.8 lakh sq ft to accommodate more domestic flights.
Currently, the domestic terminal can handle 2,000 incoming and 2,000 outgoing passengers during peak hours. The number of parking bays will be increased from 32 to 48 with the construction of a new apron and additional aircraft parking bays. The domestic travel sector is experiencing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of over 16%, with the ratio of domestic to international travelers expected to shift to 55:45. Indian airlines IndiGo and Air India have ordered over 1,100 aircraft, necessitating infrastructure enhancements to meet the growing demand for aircraft parking bays.
CIAL’s infrastructure vision includes terminal expansion, an airport hotel, transit accommodation, and an entertainment zone. The airport also plans to conduct in-depth customer profiling studies and journey mapping to support these developments.
In FY 2023-24, Kochi airport handled 70,203 aircraft operated by 25 airlines, serving 105.29 lakh passengers, surpassing one crore passenger footfalls for the first time in a calendar year.
 will expand to become South India's top tourist gateway and regional hub by 2034.){kind=link}