Page 34 - The Indian EYE 071522

BUSINESS EYE JULY 08, 2022 | The Indian Eye 34

GROWING TOURISM, RISING AIRLINES:

India’s civil aviation all set to take off, again

Billionaire investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala-backed Akasa Air has got the air operator certificate
from the DGCA, and it will begin flying by the month-end

OUR BUREAU

New Delhi/Mumbai
ndia’s international air passenger
volumes are likely to reach 96-97
Iper cent of the pre-Covid levels at
329-332 million this fiscal with June
traffic already at 79 per cent of the
levels seen before the outbreak of the
pandemic, ratings agency Icra said on
Thursday.
India’s international air passen-
ger traffic resumed from March 27
this year after a hiatus of two years.
Icra said it also expects interna-
tional passenger volumes will surge
ahead of the FY21 levels (pre-pan-
demic) by the end of March 2024.
While the recovery in domestic
passenger traffic declined marginally
to 91 per cent of pre-Covid levels in
June at 21.1 million as compared to
98 per cent in April and May, respec-
tively, the international air passenger
traffic has seen a steady improve-
ment in the last three months, reach-
ing 79 per cent of the pre-Covid lev-
els in June, the ratings agency said. With the pandemic in decline and because of holidays, both tourism and air travel has been on the rise (ANI)
Overall, the air passenger traffic
stood at 88 per cent of pre-Covid lev-
els in June 2022, as per Icra. It expects DGCA for their constructive guid- of 72 delivered over five years. 69 weekly flights to Dubai, out of
international passenger traffic to ance, active support and the highest In a related development, with which 35 are Dreamliners.
reach 90-92 per cent of the pre-Covid levels of efficiency throughout the seasonal demand for flights between The 787s are operating from
levels by the end of this fiscal and AOC process. We now look forward the Middle East and India soaring by three destinations – Delhi, Mumbai,
cross pre-Covid levels in FY24, Laho- to opening our flights for sale, lead- the day, airlines are witnessing sold- and Kochi as the carrier attempts
ti said, adding that the recovery of do- ing to the start of commercial oper- out flights for the next few days. In to increase its market share in the
mestic passenger traffic moderated in ations by late July. This will begin order to capitalize on the trend, Air highly-lucrative Gulf market by of-
June 2022 in line with historic trends. our journey towards building India’s India has decided to add capacity to fering upgraded services. The bigger
The key reason for lower domes- greenest, most dependable, and most the route by deploying more wide- jets offer more legroom and a better
tic traffic in June compared to May is affordable airline,” Akasa found- body aircraft to Dubai. business class product designed for
due to the end of summer vacation, er-CEO Vinay Dube said. Air India is putting its fleet to longer routes.
reopening of schools and conse- The grant of AOC is the final good use, redirecting some of its Air India has 27 Boeing 787-8
quently reduced leisure travel.. step for an airline’s launch. The larger jets to where the demand is. airplanes in its fleet, most of which
Meanwhile, billionaire investor process concluded with the airline Dubai has always been a cash cow fly to Europe and some to Australia,
Rakesh Jhunjhunwala-backed Akasa successfully conducting a number of for any airline connecting the des- Dubai, and a few domestic routes.
Air on Thursday got the air operator proving flights to show its operation- tination with India and has become As Indians rush back home
certificate (AOC or licence) from al readiness. Akasa Air, whose air- even more important now with travel during the summer season to reunite
the Directorate General of Civil Avi- line code is QP, received its first 737 demand bouncing back. with families and also celebrate Eid,
ation (DGCA), and will begin flying MAX on June 21, 2022. Under normal circumstances, air tickets for the sector are witness-
by the month-end. The low-cost car- Later this month, the airline will Air India deploys a mixed fleet of ing a steep rise. Air India flights
rier backed by Indian aviation vet- commence commercial operations A320 family of airplanes and Boe- are “fully booked” for the Eid peri-
erans like Vinay Dube and Aditya with two aircraft, subsequently add- ing 787s to Dubai, but it has recently od, adding that ticket prices to India
Ghosh will soon have two Boeing ing to its fleet, every month. By the upped the ratio of the Dreamliners from Dubai will come down only
737 MAX and then begin commer- end of the fiscal year 2022-23, the to DXB, looking at the travel rush. P. sometime in August. Even generally,
cial operations. airline will have inducted 18 aircraft P. Singh, regional Manager at Air In- Indians are having to shell out more
“We are extremely thankful to and thereafter 12-14 aircraft every 12 dia, told the Gulf News that to meet these days from all Middle East des-
the ministry of civil aviation and the months, which will make up its order the demand, the airline is operating tinations due to increased demand.

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