In the last 7 months (April – October 2024), more than 18 lakh passengers used Coimbatore International Airport and 11,960 flights were operated during this period, a report said on Thursday. Out of the 18,38,925 passengers, 1,29,732 passengers used the airport’s international services, while 17,09,193 used its domestic services. 

It is noteworthy to mention that on last Sunday (24 November 2024), the airport handled 8,832 domestic passengers and 1,195 international passengers, surpassing the 10,000-passenger mark once again. The rise in international passengers is attributed to the recent addition of direct flights to Abu Dhabi and Singapore.

To enable more direct flights from Coimbatore to international destinations, the airport requires a higher passenger capacity, which necessitates accommodating larger aircraft. For this, the runway extension is essential.

Preliminary works to extend the runway of Coimbatore International Airport by another 800 meters have begun, as per various reports. The runway, currently 2,990 meters long and 45 meters wide, will be extended to 3,800 meters. This extension will enable the airport to accommodate wide-bodied aircraft capable of carrying a significant number of passengers.