Synopsis
India's commercial airlines are set to operate 25,610 flights weekly this summer, reflecting a 5.5% increase from last year, according to the DGCA. IndiGo will lead with 14,158 departures, while SpiceJet faces a 25% decrease. The total flights mark a record high and surpass pre-COVID levels, indicating robust growth in air traffic.Key Takeaways
- 25,610 flights per week planned for summer 2023
- 5.5% increase from last year's summer
- IndiGo will operate 14,158 domestic flights weekly
- SpiceJet's departures decreased by 25%
- International traffic increased 14.8% year-on-year
New Delhi, March 26 (NationPress) India's commercial airlines are poised to operate 25,610 flights per week during the upcoming summer season, marking a 5.5 percent increase compared to the same timeframe last year, as stated by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
The summer schedule for airlines this year is set from March 30 to October 25. The total number of flights in this summer's plan is 2.5 percent higher than the previous winter season.
India's leading airline, IndiGo, plans to operate 467 additional flights each week compared to last year, which translates to a 3 percent increase.
The DGCA's report indicates that IndiGo will conduct the highest number of domestic flights weekly, with 14,158 departures planned, followed by Air India with 4,310 and Air India Express with 3,375.
In contrast, SpiceJet has seen a reduction of 25 percent in its slots, dropping from 1,657 departures last year to 1,240 departures this year.
Moreover, regional airlines such as Alliance Air and Flybig have experienced notable declines of 41.96 percent and 30.98 percent, respectively, in their flight numbers.
The new summer schedule reveals that out of 129 airports, new airports like Ambikapur, Datia, Bidar, Porbandar, Pakyaong, Rewa, and Solapur have been proposed, while services from Azamgarh and Rupsi airports have been suspended for the Summer Schedule 2025.
The scheduled operations do not include the Navi Mumbai airport and the Noida Airport at Jewar near Delhi, both of which are expected to commence by October 2025, coinciding with the transition to the next winter schedule.
This summer's total flight operations represent an all-time high, exceeding pre-COVID levels as air traffic continues to grow robustly in Indian skies.
India's aviation sector showcases a stable outlook, with domestic air passenger traffic showing a remarkable 11.04 percent growth in February of this year compared to the same month last year.
An ICRA report indicates that domestic air traffic for the first 11 months of the current financial year reached approximately 1,551 lakh passengers, a 7.7 percent increase from the previous year and 12.9 percent higher than pre-COVID levels of 1,338 lakh in 11MFY20.
Additionally, during the first 10 months of the current financial year (April-January), international passenger traffic for Indian carriers reached 280.9 lakh, reflecting a year-on-year growth of 14.8 percent, significantly surpassing pre-COVID figures of around 198.8 lakh by 41.3 percent.
