Plans for a domestic airport at Thanjavur have moved closer to implementation after the Airports Authority of India granted in principle acceptance pending administrative approval to begin civil works. The Tamil Nadu government has handed over 55 acres to the authority for the project and the development is estimated to cost Rs 1,000 million (mn). The scheme includes a terminal building, two aircraft bays and a 3,400-metre runway, with air traffic control services to be shared with the existing Indian Air Force station at Thanjavur.

Officials indicated the facility is expected to handle around 300 passengers a day and accommodate two to three ATR aircraft operations daily. A recent survey on passenger demand has been completed and building drawings are ready, and authorities noted the airport has significant pilgrimage potential serving the delta region. It was stated that operations are likely to be largely domestic and therefore unlikely to affect traffic at Tiruchy International Airport.

The director said aircraft movements had fallen by nearly 50 per cent at the height of the West Asia situation while passenger traffic declined by between 20 per cent and 30 per cent, but that services have begun to recover. Flights to destinations such as Sharjah, Dubai and Muscat have resumed and connectivity is being restored gradually.

The Airports Authority of India has invested Rs 1,481.75 crore, equal to Rs 14,817.5 million (mn), in capital expenditure to modernise and expand Tiruchy airport over the last 12 years. Aircraft movements rose from 9,694 in 2014-15 to 18,858 in 2025-26, while domestic passenger traffic increased from 96,944 passengers to 8.28 lakh, or 0.828 million (mn), in the same period. International passenger numbers grew from 10.92 lakh to 13.92 lakh, equivalent to 1.092 million (mn) and 1.392 million (mn) respectively.