HYD passenger traffic falls 12.1% as cargo reaches record

Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (HYD) handled 2.3 million passengers in October 2026, down 12.1% year on year, while its cargo throughput reached a highest-ever monthly 0.20 lakh metric tonnes, up 25.3%. HYD’s aircraft movements also declined 17.4% year on year, showing a split between passenger aviation activity and freight volumes.

What happened to HYD passenger traffic in October 2026?

HYD passenger traffic fell 12.1% year on year to 2.3 million in October 2026. The reduction was about 0.3 million passengers from the comparable prior-year month. Domestic passenger traffic was 1.8 million, down 0.28 million or 13.3%, while international traffic was 0.4 million, down 0.03 million or 6.9%.

Domestic traffic accounted for most of HYD’s October reduction. Its 13.3% year-on-year decline was steeper than the 6.9% decline in international traffic, and domestic passengers represented about 1.8 million of the 2.3 million total. The monthly data therefore show that the domestic segment was the larger contributor to the airport’s overall passenger contraction.

Did HYD traffic increase from September 2026?

HYD’s total passenger traffic rose 9.8% month on month in October 2026, despite remaining 12.1% below October 2025. Management reported domestic traffic of about 1.8 million, up 6.0% from September, and international traffic of about 0.44 million, up 5.8% sequentially. The month-on-month increase indicates a recovery from September levels, not a return to the prior-year October volume.

Aircraft movements, or ATMs, also increased sequentially but declined year on year. HYD reported about 15,000 ATMs in October, up 8.7% month on month, including about 13,000 domestic ATMs, up 10.9%. The monthly traffic table records 15,273 total ATMs, down 17.4% year on year, a larger decline than the 12.1% fall in passenger traffic.

How did HYD cargo perform in October 2026?

HYD handled about 0.20 lakh metric tonnes of cargo in October 2026, its highest-ever monthly throughput, up 25.3% year on year. Cargo moved in the opposite direction from passenger traffic during the month: freight expanded by more than one-fourth while passenger volumes fell 12.1%. The update identifies both the monthly cargo volume and the year-to-date cargo total as records.

The contrast also remained visible in YTD FY2027. HYD’s cargo throughput was about 1.22 lakh metric tonnes, up 8.6% year on year and the airport’s highest-ever year-to-date volume. Passenger traffic, by comparison, was 15.9 million, down 11.8%, meaning the reported freight increase was sustained through the year-to-date period while passenger numbers remained below the comparable prior-year period.

How far has HYD passenger traffic declined in YTD FY2027?

HYD handled 15.9 million passengers in YTD FY2027, down 2.1 million or 11.8% year on year. Domestic passenger traffic was 12.9 million, down 1.9 million or 12.9%, while international passenger traffic was 3.0 million, down 0.2 million or 6.7%. As in October, the domestic segment recorded both the larger absolute decline and the larger percentage decrease.

The airport’s detailed traffic table gives a YTD FY2027 total of 15,868,734 passengers and 105,867 aircraft movements. HYD recorded 30,486,531 passengers and 205,543 aircraft movements in FY2026, but FY2027 is a partial period and is not directly comparable with a full financial year. The relevant reported comparison is the YTD year-on-year movement: passengers declined 11.8% and ATMs declined 14.7%.

What connectivity did HYD report after October 2026?

HYD connected to 101 destinations worldwide in the October 2026 update, including 74 domestic and 27 international destinations. The network count provides the operational setting for October’s 1.8 million domestic passengers and about 0.44 million international passengers. The domestic network represented 74 of the airport’s 101 listed destinations.

The presentation did not specify how many HYD routes were launched, withdrawn or received additional frequencies during October 2026. It also did not assign a HYD-specific reason for the airport’s 12.1% year-on-year passenger decline. For the broader portfolio, management said subdued domestic traffic growth reflected airline route rationalisation, while muted international growth was linked to flight disruptions caused by West Asian geopolitical instability.

Conclusion

HYD’s October results show two different operating trends. Passenger traffic declined 12.1% year on year to 2.3 million and aircraft movements fell 17.4% to 15,273, while cargo reached a monthly record of 0.20 lakh metric tonnes and increased 25.3%. The YTD FY2027 data show the same divergence, with passengers down 11.8% to 15.9 million and cargo up 8.6% to 1.22 lakh metric tonnes.

The next issue is whether HYD can sustain October’s 9.8% month-on-month passenger increase and 8.7% sequential rise in ATMs while retaining record cargo throughput. Management disclosed 101 destinations but did not provide a HYD-specific explanation for the annual passenger decline, a passenger recovery target, or a timetable for changes to the airport’s route network.