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BUSINESS EYE JUNE 23, 2023 | The Indian Eye 28

Turbulence and take-offs:

India’s air traffic goes up even as

a major airline stops to fly

IndiGo gained the maximum domestic market share last month after Go First stopped flying from May 2, 2023

OUR BUREAU
Mumbai/New Delhi
ndia’s domestic air passenger
traffic grew 15 per cent year-on-
Iyear to 132.67 lakh passengers in
May 2023, according to DGCA data.
The country’s domestic air passenger
traffic was 114.67 lakh passengers in
the year-ago period.
Low-cost carrier IndiGo in-
creased its market share to 61.4 per
cent from 57.5 per cent during the
previous month, carrying a total of
81.10 lakh passengers, as per the
DGCA data released on Thursday.
Last month also saw the grounding
of city-based carrier Go First.
Go First, which is currently un-
dergoing insolvency proceedings at
the National Company Law Tribunal
(NCLT), has not flown since May 3.
All three Tata Group airlines --
Air India, AirAsia India and Vistara SpiceJet, which is facing its own troubles including insolvency pleas by unpaid parties and requests from lessors
(which is 49 per cent owned by Singa-
pore Airlines) -- also witnessed their to take back planes, did not gain from Go collapse (File photo)
market share growing sequentially in
May 2023, cornering 9.4 per cent, 7.9 On the other hand, it has been domestic market share rise by 3.9% saw an increase of 0.8% from 4% to
per cent and 9 per cent of the total reported that IndiGo gained the from 57.5% in April to 61.4% May, 4.8%, according to DGAC data.
traffic pie, respectively. maximum domestic market share thereby crossing the 60% mark pos- SpiceJet, which is facing its own
The total number of passen- last month after Go First stopped fly- sibly for the first time. troubles including insolvency pleas
gers flown by Air India and Vistara ing from May 2, 2023. The three Tata Group airlines — by unpaid parties and requests from
during the month under review The Wadia Group airline had Air India plus Vistara plus AirAsia lessors to take back planes, did not
stood at 12.44 lakh and 11.95 lakh, 6.4% market share in April which India — saw this increase 1.4% from gain from Go collapse. The budget
respectively. AirAsia India carried was subsequently lapped up by other 24.9% to 26.3% in the same peri- carrier, in fact, saw its domestic mar-
10.41 lakh passengers in May 2023, big airlines. Big blue IndiGo saw its od. And the youngest airline, Akasa, ket share fall from 5.8% in April to
the data showed. 5.4% this May.
The combined total of these Gainers and losers DGCA data shows 1.3 crore
three airlines was 34.8 lakh passen- How other airlines, except SpiceJet, gained from GoFirst collapse people flew within the country this
gers, 26.3 per cent of the total do- May, 15% more than 1.1 crore same
mestic air passenger traffic in May Airline Market share Market share Change month last year despite the Wadia

in May 2023
in April 2023
2023. The market share of Akasa Air, Group airline collapsing. The shut-
which launched its air services in Au- Go First 6.4% 0.4% Minus 6% down in peak summer travel month
gust 2022, also rose to 4.8 per cent in IndiGo 57.5% 61.4% Plus 3.9% saw domestic flights of all big Indian
the previous month compared to 4 Vistara 8.7% 9% Plus 0.3% carriers going over 90% full with the
per cent in April 2023. Air India 8.6% 9.4% Plus 0.8% occupancy ranging from SpiceJet’s
On punctuality parameters, 94.8% to Air India’s 90.1%.
Akasa Air recorded an on-time per- SpiceJet 5.8% 5.4% Minus 0.4% Go First used to fly almost
formance of 92.6 per cent, the high- Akasa 4% 4.8% Plus 0.8% 30,000 domestic passengers daily.
est among all the domestic carriers Others 9% 9.6% Plus 0.6% Not surprisingly, the regulator saw
from four key metro airports in May, maximum number of passenger com-
as per the data. Tata Group 24.9% 26.3% Plus 1.4% plaints related to refunds.

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