Why Pune Airport’s International Passenger Count Fell From 33,000 To 11,000 In 3 Months

Pune Airport has experienced a major decline in international passenger traffic following the suspension and disruption of many overseas flight services. On the other hand, the airport has recorded a strong rise in domestic travel. Want to know the reason behind it? Read on!

Pune Airport Witnesses Decline In International Passengers

As per a report by the Hindustan Times, with direct access to destinations such as Bangkok and Singapore having been limited or discontinued, and flights to Gulf destinations like Dubai and Abu Dhabi having been affected by the ongoing geopolitical tensions, only 11,836 tourists travelled internationally from Pune in May, marking a significant fall from 33,309 international travellers recorded in February 2026. Additionally, in March, 16,439 travellers made trips internationally from Pune, with the number falling to 15,723 in April.

Over the past year, Pune airport has had direct international flights to places like Dubai, Singapore, Bangkok and Abu Dhabi. But recently, the Singapore service was suspended temporarily by the carrier due to technical reasons and was later withdrawn permanently. On the other hand, IndiGo discontinued its Pune-Bangkok service at the start of the summer schedule.

The drop in international flight options has greatly affected foreign travel from Pune, forcing many Pune-based travellers to take off on international journeys from Mumbai, Bengaluru and Delhi.

Also Read: IndiGo Launches Daily Direct Flights Between Kolkata And Shanghai; Check Full Schedule

The Rise In Domestic Travel

Even with the decline in international passengers, there has been a strong rise in domestic travel. If reports are to be believed, for the first time in its history, Pune airport carried more than one million passengers in one month. In May, domestic passenger traffic reached approximately 1,029,594 as compared to 859,223 passengers in April. Airport authorities credit the surge in traffic to summer vacations, tourism-related travel and increasing demand on domestic routes.

Also Read: From March, IndiGo To Launch Direct Flights To 6 Cities From Navi Mumbai Airport; All About It

The sharp distinction between domestic and international passenger traffic has raised concerns over Pune’s limited overseas connectivity. The shutdown of key international services has become a serious concern for passengers who now face extra travel time and costs for international destinations.

Well, it’s actually concerning for Pune people.

Cover Image Courtesy:  Wikimedia Commons