Rehan Qayoom Mir
Srinagar, May 20: Despite the earlier tension and escalation between India and Pakistan, the Srinagar International Airport recorded a passenger footfall of over 31,000 in the last five days, official data reveals.
As per data, between May 15 and May 19, a total of 210 flights, including scheduled and Hajj departures, operated through the airport, carrying 31,511 passengers.
However, more than 50 flights were cancelled during this period.
Earlier, the flight operations and footfall were low because of the fallout of the deadly Pahalgam incident, where at least 27 people, mostly tourists, were killed, which led to widespread disturbance. But now the flights are back on track, and operations are normalising again.
“The airport operations are working smoothly, and passengers are coming and departing from Srinagar airport without any disturbance, and the Haj movements are also ongoing smoothly,” an official from the Srinagar International Airport said.
As per the data, the busiest day was May 17, with 7,841 passengers and 50 scheduled flights. However, 21 of those were cancelled due to reasons not yet known.
The lowest movement was recorded on May 18, with 4,915 passengers and 9 cancellations. Notably, on May 15, the airport facilitated the departure of 641 Hajj pilgrims along with regular traffic, bringing the day’s total to 6,844 passengers.
“Passengers have been cooperative, and airlines managed alternate schedules wherever possible. We are working closely with all stakeholders to ensure minimal disruptions during this time,” the official added.
It is pertinent to mention that the spike in airport activity comes days after the tragic Pahalgam terror attack, where 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed. The incident caused temporary disruption across the valley, including reduced tourist flow and cancellations in travel plans.
