Only half of cargo terminal’s installed capacity being utilised at Mangaluru International Airport, says Union minister

The current utilisation level of the cargo terminal at Mangaluru International Airport is at around 50 % to 55 % of the installed capacity of 9,000 tonnes, according to the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation.

Murlidhar Mohol, Minister of State in the Ministry of Civil Aviation replying to a question on any move to expand the operations at Mangaluru airport told the Lok Sabha on Thursday, that expansion or modernisation of airport infrastructure is a continuous process, which is undertaken by the airport operator (s) depending upon traffic demand, land availability, commercial feasibility, operational requirements for safety of aircraft operation and demand from airlines, etc.

Airports Authority of India (AAI) has leased out Mangaluru International Airport to Mangaluru International Airport Limited (MgIAL) for operations, management and development under Public Private Partnership (PPP).

The existing terminal building at the airport is built across 48,574 square metre of area with the handling capacity of two Million Passengers Per Annum (MPPA), the minister said.

Responding to the steps being taken to promote Mangaluru as a key connecting point for air travel to Lakshadweep, including commencement of new flight routes and infrastructure development, the minister said, “Currently, there are no flights connecting Mangaluru Airport to Lakshadweep. With the repeal of Air Corporation Act in March 1994, the Indian domestic aviation was deregulated. Airlines are free to induct capacity with any aircraft type, free to select whatever markets and network they wish to service and operate subject to compliance of Route Dispersal Guidelines (RDGs) issued by the Government and flight schedules approved by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).”

The minister replied to an unstarred question by Captain Brijesh Chowta, Member of Parliament, who also wanted to know whether there are proposals to develop Mangaluru as a logistics hub or an epicentre for trade and connectivity on the west coast, leveraging its strategic location in the said region.

Meanwhile, the airport went on record in May, 2025 that domestic cargo operations at the Integrated Cargo Terminal at the airport began on May 1, 2023. The airport handled 3,864.1 tonnes of domestic cargo in 2024-25, as against 3,706.02 tonnes handled in 2023-24. On the international front, the airport started cargo operations in July 2024 and handled 1,347.07 tonnes, including 1,346.27 tonnes of outbound and 0.79 tonnes of inbound cargo till March 31, 2025.