Global mkt share of Indian airlines at 7year high
NEWDELHI: Indian airlines led by InterGlobe Aviation Ltdrun IndiGo have increased their international passenger market share to and from the country.
“The market share of Indian carriers on international routes increased to a seven-year high of 37% in July 2017,” said Anand Kulkarni, associate vice-president and associate head (corporate sector ratings) at rating agency Icra Ltd.
“Indian airlines (predominantly IndiGo) are pushing harder it seems. IndiGo is deploying sizeable capacity on international routes.”
IndiGo’s capacity on international routes increased by 76.1% in July 2017 over the year-ago period, and by 68.2% in the first four months of 2017-18. Its market share has jumped from 3.1% in July 2016 to 5% in July 2017, Icra said.
“All other India airlines have more or less maintained their market share,” Kulkarni said.
Indian airlines had a 35.9% share of the international market in July 2016. They outperformed the industry on international routes, with passenger traffic growth of 13.1% in July 2017, as against 9.5% for the industry, Icra said.
To be sure, Indian airlines have been gaining ground over the past few years and ended 2016-17 with a 37.7% market share, as against 28.9% in 2004-05, according to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
In 2016-17, Air India had the largest share of international traffic (16.6%), followed by Jet Airways (India) Ltd (14.5%), Emirates (9.9%), Etihad (5%), Qatar (3.9%), IndiGo (3.5%), Air Arabia and Oman Air (3.2% each), SpiceJet (3.1%) and Singapore Airlines (2%).
Out of 92 scheduled international airlines that fly to and from India, the top six account for nearly 50% of total international passenger traffic and the top 15 for almost 75%, according to DGCA.