GMR Group expects 10%+ growth in air traffic
GMR Group is expecting air traffic in India to grow by over 10%—much higher than analysts' 7-8% predictions.
Saurabh Chawla, Executive Director of Finance & Strategy at GMR Group, credits this optimism to recent upgrades at Delhi and Hyderabad airports, which are now ready for more travelers thanks to expanded capacity.
Major investments and shifts in strategy
Delhi Airport can now handle up to 100 million passengers a year (up from 55 million), while Hyderabad's capacity nearly doubled to 34 million.
These improvements came with major investments—₹14,000 crore for Delhi and ₹5,000 crore for Hyderabad.
GMR is also betting big on airport retail and other non-flight businesses, aiming for these to make up as much as 80% of future revenue.
Even with significant debt, Chawla says Hyderabad Airport is already cash-positive and expects the group overall to turn profitable by FY26—helped by new tariffs that will more than double Delhi's earnings per passenger.