Domestic air traffic reaches new high, surpassing pre-Covid levels by 14%

Domestic air traffic touched a new single-day high of 4,71,751 passengers on Sunday, according to official data.

The traffic on Sunday was more than 14% higher than the average pre-Covid count of 3,98,579.

On April 21, the total number of domestic air passengers stood at 4,71,751 and the number of flights was 6,128, as per the data from the civil aviation ministry.

This is higher than the domestic air traffic of 4,28,389 passengers and 5,899 flights recorded on April 21, 2023.

In a post on X, the ministry said India's domestic aviation is "everyday at a new high".

"Domestic aviation in India is witnessing unprecedented growth, driven by factors such as concrete policies, economic development, and expansion of low-cost carriers. As more people gain access to air travel, the sector is expected to continue its upward trajectory," it said.

Last week, aviation regulator DGCA said passengers carried by domestic airlines during January-March 2024 were 391.46 lakhs as against 375.04 lakhs during the corresponding period of the previous year, registering an annual growth of 4.38 per cent and monthly growth of 3.68 per cent.