Dense winter fog and airspace ban on Indian aircraft over Pakistan post Operation Sindoor contributed to a sharp 21.4% year-on-year decline in December passenger traffic at Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport, according to the latest monthly data released by the Airports Authority of India (AAI).
The airport handled 2,67,525 passengers in December 2025, down from 3,40,408 in December 2024. International passenger numbers fell 13.5%, from 1,10,670 to 95,774, while domestic traffic dropped more sharply by 25.2%, declining from 2,29,738 to 1,71,751.
For the full calendar year 2025, total passenger traffic stood at 31.45 lakh, an 8.2% decline from the record 34.26 lakh in 2024. International traffic dipped marginally by 1.9% — from 11.14 lakh to 10.92 lakh — whereas domestic traffic fell 11.2%, from 23.12 lakh to 20.53 lakh.
Aircraft movements also mirrored the slowdown. Total movements declined 12.4 per cent in 2025, from 22,614 to 19,817. December alone recorded a 20.8 per cent drop compared to the same month last year.
After a record-breaking March 2025, when the airport handled 3,43,384 passengers, growth momentum weakened from May onwards.
Sameep Singh Gumtala, global convener of the FlyAmritsar Initiative, an advocacy group working to enhance air connectivity to Amritsar, said the decline that began in May was due to the India-Pakistan conflict, which led to temporary airspace disruptions and reduced flight frequencies.
{{/usCountry}}Sameep Singh Gumtala, global convener of the FlyAmritsar Initiative, an advocacy group working to enhance air connectivity to Amritsar, said the decline that began in May was due to the India-Pakistan conflict, which led to temporary airspace disruptions and reduced flight frequencies.
{{/usCountry}}He added that the year-end slump was worsened by extreme winter weather. Despite the airport’s CAT-3B Instrument Landing System, dense fog frequently reduced visibility to near-zero, forcing several late-evening and early-morning cancellations. Suspension of services by Neos Air (Italy) and Air India Express (Bangkok), along with temporary frequency cuts by IndiGo, further reduced seat capacity.
The FlyAmritsar Initiative also criticised the Punjab government for what it termed inadequate support to the airport, particularly in strengthening ground connectivity.
Despite the setback, Amritsar continues to maintain international links to Dubai, Sharjah, Doha, Birmingham, London Gatwick, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok, along with domestic services to Delhi, Mumbai, Srinagar, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Pune and Kullu.