Domestic airlines witness impressive growth; passenger count soars by 36%
India’s domestic aviation sector experiences remarkable growth as the number of passengers carried by airlines from January to May grew over 36 per cent compared to the previous year, according to government data. Among domestic airlines, Indigo, Vistara, and Air Asia got an increase in market share.
The many positives for the Indian aviation sector
1. Showing a recovery from Covid-19 induced slump, domestic airlines carried 636.07 lakh passengers from January-May, marking a 36.10% annual increase compared to the same period last year.
2. Passenger count rosed from 114.67 lakhs in May 2022 to 132.41 lakhs in May 2023, a 15.24% growth.
3. May this year saw a 2.52% increase (3.26 lakhs) in passenger numbers compared to April.
4. Higher load factor indicates rising demand for air transportation underscoring the favourable direction of the aviation industry.
5. Scheduled domestic airlines received 556 passenger complaints in May 2023, down from 746 in May 2019.
Minister Scindia says it is ‘collaborative efforts of all stakeholders’
Union minister of civil aviation and steel Jyotiraditya Scindia said, “The collaborative efforts of all stakeholders have played a crucial role in propelling the growth of the aviation sector and establishing India as a prominent global aviation hub.”
He added that the expansion of the domestic airline industry and the birth of regional airlines are strengthening the Indian economy while ensuring last-mile connectivity through the UDAN Scheme.
“Following the Covid-19 pandemic, airlines have shown resilience by providing smooth and hassle-free travel experiences for passengers, along with improved air services,” he added.
But travellers continue to suffer from higher ticket prices
However, expensive airfares on a number of routes are drawing complaints from travellers. Minister Scindia was recently made aware of the issue when it was brought out that tickets from Delhi to Leh cost just ₹4,000 less than those from Delhi to Paris.
An HT study revealed that it is caused by rising demand while stagnant supply. In the current month, airlines provide over 460,000 tickets each day, which is approximately comparable to what they did in June 2019. (ALSO READ: Why is India seeing sharp hike in airfares, explained)
However, the demand has increased by around 9%, with on June 5 418,619 passengers flown compared to 383,000 passengers per day in the same month in 2019.
