Pune Airport Climbs to 19th Position, Urging for Enhanced International Connectivity

Pune International Airport, which handles only a handful of international flights, has made it to the ‘top 20’ by securing the 19th position in the country in terms of handling international passenger traffic, according to the Bureau of Immigration.

Despite being one of the country’s major IT and industrial hubs, Pune International Airport currently has regular direct connectivity only to Dubai, Bangkok — a gap that industry representatives say does not reflect the city’s growing global footprint.

Responding to the concerns, union minister of state for civil aviation Murlidhar Mohol said efforts are underway to improve international connectivity. “We are actively working to add more international destinations from Pune. Given the city’s industrial importance and global relevance, we expect new routes to be operational next year,” he said.

Mohol emphasized that the aviation sector has witnessed unprecedented growth. “The central government has been focusing on adding new airports in the span of the last 11 years but various existing airports have also undergone massive upgrades. Pune International Airport is a fine example of it. Over the last few years, the facilities at Pune airport have been upgraded to meet the expectations of international tourists,” he said.

Earlier, industrialist Sudhir Mehta had asked Mohol to prioritize the expansion of international services from Pune, calling it essential for supporting the city’s economic and urban growth. Airport Advisory Committee member Amit Paranjape backed the appeal, noting that improved aircraft technology now allows Pune’s runway to handle direct international operations, including services such as the earlier Pune–Frankfurt Lufthansa flight.

“At present, Pune Airport has international flight services only to Dubai, Bangkok, and Singapore. The Singapore service is suspended due to technical reasons, and the Bangkok flight is not a direct Pune departure. This leaves Dubai as the only consistently operating route,” Mehta said, adding that demand continues to rise, particularly from the IT parks in Hinjewadi, Magarpatta, and Kharadi, and the industrial belts of Chakan and Talegaon.

Pune’s domestic network remains strong, with frequent flights to Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, and Hyderabad. However, both industry and travelers argue that international connectivity has not kept pace. The Pune–Dubai service operates only three times a week, forcing many passengers to depend on Mumbai for overseas travel — a shift that affects passenger numbers as well as revenue for the airport.

While the airport has invited airlines such as Etihad, FlyDubai, IndiGo, and Air India Express to start services, central restrictions on bilateral flying rights have reportedly led carriers to prefer larger hubs like Mumbai or Hyderabad.

With more than 8 lakh IT employees, thousands of industries, and a large student population in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, local groups say direct flights would save significant time and cost for travelers while strengthening Pune’s international linkages.

Entrepreneur Amit Paranjape questioned the absence of Middle Eastern carriers at Pune. “Not a single Middle Eastern airline operates from Pune. Aircraft like the Airbus A321 and Boeing 737 MAX used by Etihad or FlyDubai can operate from Pune’s runway without issue. If these aircraft can land here easily, what is the barrier for expanding international operations?” he said.