Chennai International Airport has retained its position as India's most punctual large airport, ranking sixth globally in October, according to the latest on-time performance assessment by aviation analytics firm Cirium. The airport recorded an on-time departure rate of 87.33%, placing it ahead of other major Indian airports, including Bengaluru, Kolkata and Hyderabad.

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The latest performance reflects Chennai's continued focus on improving airport operations, even as it faces the challenge of handling growing passenger and flight volumes. However, the October figures also indicate a slight decline compared with the previous month, when the airport secured fourth place globally with 90.06% of departures taking off on time.

Chennai leads major Indian airports

Among the major airports in India included in the October rankings, Chennai emerged as the top performer. Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru secured the 10th position globally, with 87% of departures operating on time. Kolkata airport ranked 16th with an on-time performance rate of 85.34%, while Hyderabad airport stood at 19th position with 84.76%.

Chennai recorded 11,189 tracked flights across 65 routes during October. This was higher than the 10,023 flights tracked across 64 routes in September. Despite the increase in tracked flight activity, its on-time departure rate declined by 2.73 percentage points, resulting in a two-place drop in the global rankings.

The rankings are based on the percentage of flights departing within the stipulated time. Cirium uses flight tracking and operational data to assess airport punctuality and compare performance across major airports worldwide.

Airport authorities attribute improvement to operational measures

Airport director M Raja Kishore attributed Chennai's improved standing over the past few months to a series of measures implemented across the airside, terminal and city-side operations.

He said the airport had moved up from 10th position globally in August to sixth place in October through sustained efforts to improve operational efficiency. The airport's performance is expected to receive a further boost following the inauguration of its integrated Terminal 3.

The new terminal is part of the Airports Authority of India's ongoing modernisation programme for Chennai airport. It is expected to improve passenger-handling facilities and support more efficient airport operations as traffic continues to increase.

New terminal to support capacity expansion

The integrated Terminal 3 is an important part of Chennai airport's efforts to strengthen its infrastructure and accommodate future growth. Being developed over an area of approximately 86,135 square metres, the terminal is designed to handle both domestic and international passengers.

The project is being implemented under the second phase of the airport's modernisation programme, with an investment of Rs 2,467 crore. According to earlier updates, the Airports Authority of India was targeting completion of construction by January 2027, followed by inauguration by April 2027, subject to statutory approvals.

Once operational, the terminal is expected to increase the airport's passenger-handling capacity and improve aircraft parking and passenger movement. The number of aerobridges is also expected to increase from 14 to 23, reducing the need to transport passengers between aircraft parked at remote bays and terminal buildings by bus.

The expansion is particularly important as Chennai airport is already handling a substantial volume of passenger traffic. The airport currently handles around 2.3 crore passengers annually against an existing capacity of approximately three crore. Under the Airports Authority of India's capacity optimisation plan, this is expected to increase to 3.5 crore passengers annually by April 2027.

The authority is also working on measures to improve aircraft movement and reduce congestion on the airside. Plans include increasing aircraft movements from the current level of around 18 per hour to 36 initially, with a longer-term target of 45 movements per hour. The development of rapid-exit taxiways and additional aircraft parking facilities is also expected to support this objective.

Global airports set the benchmark

While Chennai led the Indian airports in the October assessment, Chinese airports dominated the top positions in the global large-airport category.

Harbin Taiping International Airport in China secured the first position with an on-time departure rate of 97.58%. Sanya Phoenix International Airport, also in China, ranked second with 94.37%, while Lima International Airport in Peru took third place with 89.59%.

The October assessment covered 409,973 flights, 68.45 million seats and 1,969 routes across the airports included in the rankings.

Chennai's sixth-place finish underlines its strong operational performance among large international airports. However, sustaining this position will depend on how effectively the airport manages increasing traffic, coordinates ground and airside operations, and integrates its expanding infrastructure.

With the commissioning of the new terminal and planned improvements to aircraft movement and parking facilities, Chennai airport is looking to strengthen its capacity while maintaining operational efficiency. The coming months will be important in determining whether these infrastructure improvements translate into more consistent on-time performance.