India's Domestic Air Traffic In May Up 36 Per Cent On Year, 2.5 Per Cent Rise From April: DGCA

Air traffic has seen a considerable jump from pre-Covid levels. In May 2019, domestic airlines carried only 1.22 crore passengers

India's domestic air traffic in May jumped 36 per cent compared to the same month last year. According to data released by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Thursday, domestic airlines carried 1.32 crore passengers in May. Air traffic in domestic sector in May rose 2.5 per cent compared to April when airlines carried 1.29 crore passengers. Air traffic has seen a considerable jump from pre-Covid levels. In May 2019, domestic airlines carried only 1.22 crore passengers.

According to the DGCA report, the market share of India's largest airline, IndiGo, rose 390 basis points in May, following the collapse of GoFirst, which stopped all operations on May 2.

IndiGo's market share for May stood at 61.3 per cent, after rising 70 basis points in April, 90 basis points in March and 130 basis points in February. The low-cost carrier flew 81.10 lakh passengers in May. One basis point is one-hundredth of a percentage point.

Air India became the second-largest domestic carrier in May and garnered a market share of 9.4 per cent, flying 12.44 lakh passengers during the period. The airline had seen its market share fall from 9.2 per cent in January to 8.6 percent in April, falling 20-30 basis points every month. However, due to the grounding of Go First, the airline was able to see its market share rise once again.

Vistara's market share in May rose 30 basis points to 9 per cent, the airline flew 11.95 lakh passengers last month.

AirAsia India, which, is also part of the Tata stable, rose up to number four in terms of market share. Its market share rose 30 basis points to 7.9 per cent in May, as the carrier served 10.41 lakh passengers.

SpiceJet became the fifth-largest domestic airline operating in India in terms of market share in May following the collapse of Go First.

Akasa Air is on the heels of SpiceJet after the latter saw its market share fall another 40 basis points in May, while the former recorded an 80 basis points jump in market share. SpiceJet carried 7.2 lakh passengers in May to garner a market share of 5.4 per cent, while Akasa Air carried 6.29 lakh passengers to garner a market share of 4.8 percent in May.

Most of GoFirst's market share of 6.4 per cent carrying 8.29 lakh passengers in April went the way of IndiGo last month, as the latter carried 7.04 lakh more passengers in May when compared to April.

The passenger load factor, or the occupancy rate, of SpiceJet, Vistara, IndiGo, Air India and AirAsia India stood at 94.8 per cent, 93.2 per cent, 91.5 per cent, 90.1 per cent, and 92.8 per cent, respectively, in May.