Kolkata, (UNI) Kolkata airport, which has no direct aerial connectivity with Europe and America, has achieved the highest profit among all 137 Airports Authority of India (AAI) operated airports for the financial year 2024-25, with a profit of approximately Rs 670 crore.
This record profit was achieved despite a marginal 3 percent drop in its revenue to Rs 1,527.51 crore with 77 percent of the revenue coming from aeronautical charges, official sources said. Kolkata airport or Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport’s profit in 2024-25 was two-and-a-half times that of Chennai, the second on the list.
The higher profit came despite a slight 3 pc dip in revenue from Rs 1,578.6 crore in 2023-24 to Rs 1,527.5 crore in 2024-25. Of the earnings, about 77 percent of the revenue came from aeronautical charges as the airport handled nearly 1.5 lakh flights and 2.2 crore passengers.
The average passenger per flight count at 152 in 2024-25 also surpassed the previous highest of 146 in 2023-24. The average passenger count per flight in 2019 was 143 flyers (before Covid-19) and in 2023 and 2022 (post Covid-19), the average passenger count per flight was 129 and 123, respectively.
NSCBI Director Vikram Singh said the achievement was possible owing concerted efforts among the stakeholders and extra vigilance to stop leakage of funds for unnecessary gadgets. He hoped the revenue and profit would also go up in future with new flights being added to destinations like China and Cambodia.
IndiGo, India’s largest airline by passenger volume and fleet, has commenced direct flights between Kolkata and Siem Reap, marking the first air link between India and Cambodia by an Indian carrier. The thrice‑weekly service, launched on November 13, is operated using Airbus A320neo aircraft and expands IndiGo’s international footprint to 46 destinations.
Siem Reap, Cambodia’s second‑largest city and gateway to the UNESCO‑listed Angkor Wat, is expected to attract growing volumes of Indian leisure and cultural travellers. Cambodia offers simplified entry through visa on arrival and e‑visa options, further easing access for Indian tourists.
IndiGo on September 26 began direct flight to China after a five-year hiatus, between India and mainland China with the launch of a daily non-stop service from Kolkata to Guangzhou.
