Domestic airlines fly high in the skies; passenger footfall up by 80 pc

New Delhi [India], October 19 : It seems that the Indian aviation industry is moving towards pre-COVID days as the data from the Director General Civil Aviation (DGCA) shows that the domestic air passengers footfall is up by about 80 per cent in September compared to the same month last year.
According to the data, "In September 2020, 3.9 million passengers boarded the flights compared to 7.1 million in 2021, a surge of 79.23 per cent."
As per DGCA data, in September, "Airlines carried 71 lakh passengers on domestic flights as compared to 39 lakh passengers in the same month last year. Domestic airlines also carried 5.5 per cent more passengers in August, registering an increase of 33.83 per cent compared to July."
Festive months in India as well as a drop in COVID infections and an increase in vaccination have set the tone for the revival of domestic passengers in the country, with airlines carrying nearly 80 per cent more passengers in September 2021 compared to the same month last year.
Domestic passenger numbers, which reached the highest post-COVID in February, started to decline after the second wave hit India starting March. The return of passengers, boarding flights, started in June after cases declined and vaccinations picked up.
According to the DGCA, the load factors (passengers carried per flight) in September was highest for SpiceJet at 78.8 per cent. The load factors for GoAir stands at 74.1 per cent, IndiGo (73.6 per cent), Vistara (72.4 per cent), AirAsia India (68 per cent), Air India at 63.7 per cent.
Recently the government has allowed 100 per cent flying capacity to the airlines after a one year long restriction due to COVID pandemic. Travel analysts expect growth to continue due to immunizations, a drop in the number of COVID cases and the government's easing of restrictions on capacity offered by airlines.