About Pondicherry Airport (PNY): Gateway to the French Riviera of India

Construction of the airport was completed in 1989. First flight to Pondicherry operations began during the same year with regional services operated by Vayudoot. These services connected Puducherry with Madras, Neyveli and Bengaluru. Flight operation continued until 1991 but were discontinued because of low passenger demand and the Puducherry airport entered a prolonged period of inactivity.

Between 1991 and 2007 the airport still remained largely unused for scheduled civil aviation but in June 2007 a memorandum of understanding was signed between the Government of Puducherry and the Airports Authority of India for the expansion and revival of the airport. As part of the first phase of expansion, 19.92 hectares of land were acquired at a cost of ₹18.95 crore. This acquisition enabled infrastructure development at the airport.

After wards, a new terminal building was constructed and the runway was extended by 260 meters. The terminal was inaugurated in January 2013 with the arrival of a SpiceJet Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 aircraft from Bengaluru and commercial flight start operating as these services were later discontinued due to the following airline withdrawals.

Lastly in August 2024, a Coast Guard Air Enclave was inaugurated at the airport. The facility supports the deployment of HAL Dhruv and HAL Chetak helicopters. The airport currently operates with both civil and defence aviation roles.

The airport is situated at an height of 41 meters or 134 feet above mean sea level. It operates with a single runway with orientations of 07 and 25. The length of the Pondicherry airport runway is measured by 1,500 meters which is approximately 4,500 feet and the surface is constructed

Apron infrastructure covers an area of approximately 100 meters which supports regional aircraft parking and turnaround and navigational support at the airport is limited to an aerodrome beacon which assists with visual operations.

Total airport land area spans approximately 402 acres. Aircraft compatibility at present is limited to ATR and other regional aircraft categories. The airport does not support cargo handling operations and no dedicated cargo infrastructure exists.

The Pondicherry airport operates with a single terminal facility and its designated as a new domestic terminal. It was constructed from glass and steel. All passenger movement including departures and arrivals is handled within a single terminal only.

The peak passenger handling capacity of Pondicherry airport is approximately 150 passengers/hour. The infrastructure of the airport includes

4 check-in counters

1 arrival baggage conveyor belt

1 hand baggage X-ray screening machine

Registered checked baggage X-ray system

The terminal supports only domestic flight operations. Operating hours are aligned with flight schedules and the airport does not function on a 24×7 basis.

Planned infrastructure projects at the Pondicherry airport include the construction of a new CAT-VI Air Traffic Control tower and a fire station. Apart from this an apron expansion with the development of a perimeter road is also planned along with staff residential quarters.

The runway extension proposals aim to support the operations of A320 and B737-800 aircraft. Further runway expansion requires land acquisition which is still pending for approval by Puducherry Goverment.

For long-term goals focus on handling more passengers and supporting bigger aircraft. Future plans also consider preparing the airport for possible international flights. All development work is led by the Airports Authority of India with the support from state authorities.

IndiGo is the only airline operating regular scheduled passenger flights and provides flight tickets from the airport. Flight connectivity remains limited with direct services operating on select routes. Most passenger movement relies on connections through major hubs.

Common connecting hubs are:

Bengaluru , Hyderabad and Mumbai

Average flight duration for these active routes is around 1 hour and 36 minutes and flight frequency id around 16 flights/week which depends on operational.

Passenger traffic between April 2024 and March 2025 stood at 34,190 passengers which represents a year-on-year decrease of 24.8 percent. Aircraft movements during the same period totalled 1,216 movements reflecting an increase of 49.2 percent. IndiGo remains the most used carrier at the airport.

Passengers are always advised to arrive at the Pondicherry airport at least 2 hours before departure. To entry the terminal you shall require a valid government-issued identity document along with a boarding pass or e-ticket.

The check-in process involves counter-based check-in followed by baggage submission. The Central Industrial Security Force conducts security screening while the boarding passes are stamped during security verification.

The whole of baggage and security procedure requires separate trays for electronic items and other valuables.

Pondicherry airport have a dedicated Lost and Found authority that manages unclaimed property in case of you missed any item.

Note: Claims must be filed within 90 days, perishable items are disposed of after 48 hours. Collection timings of your missed items is between 09:30 and 18:00 except on holidays.

The Pondicherry airport provides basic facilities to the passengers which include

Charging stations with cafes and dining outlets, first-aid services, wheelchair and elderly assistance

Some facilities that are not available at the Pondicherry airport are:

Free Wi-Fi

Passenger lounges

Duty-free shopping

Metro connectivity

The airport is located approximately 3 to 8 kilometers from the Puducherry city centre and the total travel time between the airport and the city is 10 and 25 minutes by taxi which depends on traffic and weather conditions.

Rail access is also available via Puducherry Railway Station which is located around 7 kilometers from the airport for further travel.

If you want to stay and roam around the city then you can go these hotels near by the Pondicherry airport:

Accord Puducherry

Le Royal Park

Hotel Bon Sejour

Hotel Arunachala