Indian cricket fans bump up Auckland Airport business

An Indian cricket fan at Seddon Park in Hamilton last month. Photo/Sarah Ivey

Auckland Airport is putting a 20.7 per cent increase in arrivals from India in March down to the Indian cricket tour.

The airport said a total of 2312 people arrived from India in the month of March, up from 1916 in the same month last year.

India's cricket team toured New Zealand from February 20 until early April.

The rise was a contrast to arrivals from other destinations in March. Arrivals from the United Kingdom were down 25.3 per cent, arrivals from the United States were down 21.9 per cent and arrivals from Canada were down 8.5 per cent.

Arrivals from China rose 10.1 per cent and arrivals from Australia rose 1 per cent.

The total number of international passenger movements at the airport in March fell 6.1 per cent from last year but the airport noted that Easter fell in April this year and in March last year.

The total number of domestic passengers was down 9.1 per cent.

The number of domestic aircraft movements fell 8.1 per cent, while the number of international aircraft movements rose 3.8 per cent.

- NZPA