Global passenger traffic fell 91% from Mar-dec 2020: Govt

International passenger traffic fell 91 per cent to 1.85 million from March-december 2020 due to the pandemic, against the corresponding period of 2019, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Wednesday. Domestic traffic fell to 37.7 million from 119.9 million, the minister said.

Spicejet posted a consolidated net loss of ~66.7 crore in the third quarter of financial year 2020-21 (Q3FY21) as the aviation sector continued to face the adverse impact of Covid19. In the corresponding quarter last year, the airline had posted a net profit of ~77.9 crore. While revenue from operations halved, Spicejet benefitted from ~209 crore of other income. This included claims due from Boeing towards grounding of 737 Max aircraft and concessions in lease rent from lessors.

Total income in Q3 was ~1,901 crore, as against ~3,926 crore a year ago. “We have successfully managed to trim our losses considerably with each passing quarter, despite limited operations and muted demand,” the airline’s Chairman Ajay Singh said.

“With our cargo business proving its true potential, the passenger business getting back on track significantly, and tight control on costs, we have managed to reduce our losses in this quarter. There has been a remarkable recovery from where we were a few months ago and with the world’s biggest vaccination drive underway I see a strong revival across sectors,” he added.

Spicejet is currently operating 329 flights per day, which is around 72 per cent of its pre-covid capacity. Despite muted demand, load increased sequentially from 75 per cent to 78 per cent in Q3, the airline said. Cargo business revenue rose nearly sixfold YOY to ~308 crore, and was increased 36 per cent sequentially.