Passengers travelling with SpiceJet Airlines are facing delays in reaching their destinations due to a cash crisis. SpiceJet has been struggling to maintain its schedule. According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), in May, only 61% of SpiceJet flights from the country's four major airports - Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, and Hyderabad - departed on time.
In contrast, in April, 70% of the airline's flights were on time. May and June are peak seasons for the aviation sector as people tend to travel more during this period due to school vacations. In May, there was increased demand for flights on certain routes compared to normal days, partly because insolvent Go First airline had stopped selling tickets.
DGCA has compiled a list based on data from the four major airports in the country - Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, and Hyderabad. SpiceJet operates approximately 250 flights per day.
Air India's performance in terms of punctuality has also declined. It dropped from the second position in April to the fifth position in May.
Akasa Air, which has been operational for less than a year, ranks first in terms of punctuality. 92.6% of its flights were operated on schedule. IndiGo Airlines ranks second with 90.3% of its flights being on time. Vistara ranks third with 89.5%, and AirAsia, with 84.8% of its flights on time, secures the fourth position. Air India, which ranked fifth, had 82.5% of its flights on time.
In May, there was a 15% increase in domestic passenger traffic compared to April. During this period, a total of 13.2 lakh people travelled by flight. Airlines have been struggling with a shortage of staff and aircraft since the COVID-19 pandemic. Harshvardhan, Chairman of Starair Consulting based in New Delhi, stated that the increase in the number of passengers has put pressure on airlines to expand their services.