Domestic air passenger traffic records 20 per cent growth in January

CHENNAI: The Indian airlines have registered about 20 % growth in domestic passengers during the month of January, carrying 11.4 million passengers last month which is over 9.5 million carried during the corresponding period last year. On the back of the increase in number of passengers travelling during the month, all key scheduled carriers flew its planes with over 80 % of their seats full, according to the passenger data released by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). The data released on Friday showed that SpiceJet continued to maintain its pole position on the load factor front by flying its planes 95 % full followed by GoAir, which flew its planes with 90 % seats full. IndiGo and Jet Lite both came third by flying their planes with 89.7% seats full.

In terms of operating flights in time, Jet Airways performance was the worst among all carriers for the fourth consecutive month. While Jet operated 62.4 % of its flights on time, IndiGo topped the list by operating 75.4% of its flights in time. SpiceJet was second by operating 74.4% of its flights on time. IndiGo remained the market leader, in terms of passenger carriage, by flying 39.7 % of total passengers during the month of December.

Jet Airways followed IndiGo in terms of market share by flying 16.6 % of the total passengers flown during the month. The national carrier Air India is the third largest carrier in terms of market share by flying 13.3% of the total passenger flown during the month. “A lovely start for Indian aviation in 2018. January records a growth rate of 20 %. We continue to be the fastest growing aviation market in the world,” Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapati Raju had tweeted about the growth in passengers. He said India continues to be the highest growing aviation market in the world.