
Ranchi's Birsa Munda Airport posted Rs 87.56 crore net profit in FY 2025-26 as passenger traffic hit 27 lakh, reversing a prior-year loss. Revenue from aeronautical services rose 34%.
Ranchi's Birsa Munda Airport swung to a net profit of Rs 87.56 crore in the 2025-26 fiscal year, the airport authority said. Passenger traffic hit 27 lakh over the same period, up from 22.5 lakh the prior year.
The profit figure marks a sharp turnaround from the previous year's loss of Rs 12.3 crore. The airport handled roughly 740 passengers a day on average, with the busiest months clustering around the winter holiday season and the Chhath Puja festival period.
Revenue from aeronautical services – landing, parking, and navigation fees – rose 34% to Rs 142 crore, driven by higher flight frequencies from IndiGo and Air India. Non-aeronautical revenue, including retail concessions and advertising, added Rs 38 crore, up 22%.
The airport's cargo volume also grew, handling 8,400 metric tonnes of freight, mostly perishables and industrial components tied to Jharkhand's mining and steel sectors. The state government has pushed for more direct flights to Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Pune, routes that now account for roughly 40% of departures.
Birsa Munda Airport operates under the Airports Authority of India and has a single runway. A terminal expansion project, budgeted at Rs 450 crore, is in the design phase and expected to break ground in the second half of 2026, the authority said. The expansion would add 40% more floor space and two additional aerobridges.
The airport's financial performance mirrors a broader recovery in regional Indian aviation, where smaller cities have seen disproportionate traffic growth as airlines add capacity outside the metro triangle. Jharkhand's mineral-driven economy has supported steady business travel demand, while leisure traffic to nearby tourist destinations like Netarhat and Betla National Park has added weekend volume.
Operating expenses rose 12% to Rs 92 crore, largely on higher fuel costs and staffing. The airport's EBITDA margin came in at 38%, up from 22% a year earlier, reflecting the operating leverage from higher traffic.
The authority did not provide a formal guidance for the current fiscal year. The next major catalyst for the airport is the terminal expansion timeline, which will determine whether capacity can keep pace with the 15-18% annual passenger growth the region has posted over the past three years.
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