POST-PANDEMIC RECOVERY

FOR calendar year 2023, domestic carriers had a market share of 44.4% with 28.4 mn passengers

MARKET share was recorded at 38% in pre-pandemic 2019 when passenger count was 24.2 mn and it carried 483,033 passengers, 36% up on year. Air Arabia saw a decline in its market share to 2.6% from 3.1% earlier and flew 455,318 passengers, 0.7% up on year.

In terms of passengers, IndiGo flew 3.1 million passengers to and from India, registering a rise of 39% on year and fullservice carrier Vistara recorded a 70% growth on-year by flying 630,427 passengers in the quarter. Air India and its subsidiary Air India Express carried 2.2 million and 1.2 million passengers respectively, recording a growth of around 22% each as compared to the same period a year ago.

The latest data for domestic carriers chimes in with the plans of Indian airlines. IndiGo, which operates a fleet of more than 360 aircraft, plans to allocate at least 30% of its available capacity to international networks. The airline, which currently connects destinations in the range of 5-6 hours with its A320 family aircraft, has further plans to connect destinations beyond in mid-long haul markets with A321 XLR (extra long range) aircraft that will join its fleet from 2025. IndiGo recently said there is compelling opportunity to expand its international footprint through large airports, including Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Bengaluru. Fullservice carrier Air India, which ordered 470 aircraft in February 2023, including 70 wide-body planes, intends to launch non-stop longhaul flights with the new fleet.

“The international opportunity is staring everyone in the face. In (some hubs) cases, upwards of 70-90% of people are not going to that place. They are going through that place. I think if we get the basics right, be credible, we are going to get the time-sensitive, the discerning, the premium traveller who values the experience that we are going to provide,” Air India chief executive officer and managing director Campbell Wilson said earlier this week.