India's aviation sector soars: September sees 6% surge in domestic air traffic

In a positive turn for India's aviation sector, domestic air traffic for September showcased a resilient recovery, surging by over 6% compared to the pre-pandemic era. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation reported a notable 18.3% year-on-year increase, totalling 12.25 million passengers for the month.

Akasa Air, India's youngest airline, demonstrated significant improvement in its operational efficiency. The carrier, which previously experienced a spike in flight cancellations during July and August, managed to reduce its cancellation rate substantially. September’s data revealed a remarkable decline to 0.37%, a significant improvement from the 1.17% reported in August.

All airlines experienced higher capacity utilization in September, with Vistara leading the pack with an impressive 92% passenger load factor (PLF). SpiceJet closely followed with a PLF of 91.4%, while IndiGo maintained a robust PLF at 84.7%.

IndiGo continued to dominate the domestic market with a 63.4% market share, followed by Vistara at 10%, Air India at 9.8%, AirAsia India at 6.7%, SpiceJet at 4.4%, and Akasa at 4.2%. IndiGo also emerged as the most punctual airline, boasting a punctuality rate of 83.6%.

These positive trends align with a consistent monthly rise in air travel since January, with an average increase of nearly 8% compared to the pre-pandemic period. Despite the challenges posed by the grounding of Go First and high fares, India's domestic air passenger traffic hit a historic high in May, surpassing the previous record set in December 2019.

With the festival and holiday season underway, the current quarter is anticipated to witness robust demand for air travel, further bolstering the recovery of India's aviation industry.

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