Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

India is third-largest domestic airline market: Report

India's capacity growth rate of seats over a 10-year average is the highest among the five markets. It has seen an annual growth rate of 6.9 per cent between 2014 and 2024

India is third-largest domestic airline market: Report

INDIA'S domestic airline market has registered robust growth in the last decade, and it is now the third-largest in the world, up from the fifth position a decade ago, according to global travel data provider OAG.

In its 2014 survey of large domestic aviation markets, India figured fifth on the list with eight million seats. The topper was USA, followed by China, Brazil, and Indonesia.


But in April 2024, India overtook Indonesia and Brazil with a capacity of 15.6 million seats. The US and China have retained their positions.

India’s capacity growth rate of seats over a 10-year average is the highest among the five markets.

"Over the last ten years, domestic airline capacity has almost doubled in India and has seen an annual growth rate of 6.9 per cent between 2014 and 2024. India is the fastest growing market across all five domestic markets we considered," OAG said.

China was close behind with annual growth of 6.3 per cent, while the US and Indonesia registered a growth of 2.4 per cent and 1.1 per cent respectively. Brazil saw a yearly decline overall within the period of -0.8 per cent.

Low-cost carriers

The OAG report noted that the growth in India's domestic airline market was primarily driven by low-cost carriers (LCC).

In April 2024, LCCs accounted for 78.4 per cent of domestic airline capacity in India, the highest LCC share of any of these five domestic markets, and budget carrier IndiGo accounted for the most seats.

“In the last 10 years, IndiGo has almost doubled its market share, from 32 per cent of capacity in 2014 to 62 per cent today. While the rest of the market has barely grown, averaging just 0.7 per cent a year, IndiGo has a domestic capacity growth rate of 13.9 per cent annually,” the report mentioned.

Air India (including Air India Express and Vistara) is the next largest carrier in the domestic market, and accounts for 28 per cent of capacity.

The two airlines account for 9 out of 10 airline seats in India's domestic airline market.

The report noted that India’s ten largest airports account for more than two-thirds of the country’s domestic capacity.

Delhi, with over 5.2 million seats in April 2024, accounts for 17 per cent of all domestic seats, followed by Mumbai with 3.7 million seats (12 per cent). The other major airports include Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Chennai, Goa, Ahmedabad, Pune, and Guwahati.

According to the government, the number of airports in the country has increased to 157 from 74 in the last 10 years.

The report noted that the UDAN scheme, which was implemented in 2017 to make air travel accessible to all, has helped in improving connectivity. The number of routes served in the domestic market has risen to 540 in April 2024, from 215 in April 2014.

However, the report said that the airport infrastructure needs to be scaled up to unlock the next phase of India’s domestic market development.

More For You

Pakistan airspace curbs push up costs for Indian airlines

FILE PHOTO: Passengers stand in a queue before entering the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai. (Photo by SUJIT JAISWAL/AFP via Getty Images)

Pakistan airspace curbs push up costs for Indian airlines

TOP Indian airlines Air India and IndiGo are bracing for higher fuel costs and longer journey times as they reroute international flights after Pakistan shut its airspace to them amid escalating tensions over a deadly militant attack in Kashmir.

India has said there were Pakistani elements in Tuesday's (22) attack in which gunmen shot and killed 26 men in a meadow in the Pahalgam area of Indian Kashmir. Pakistan has denied any involvement.

Keep ReadingShow less
Campbell Wilson

Air India CEO Campbell Wilson steps down as Air India Express chair

Air India CEO Campbell Wilson steps down as Air India Express chair

AIR INDIA CEO Campbell Wilson is stepping down as chair of Air India Express, the airline’s low-cost subsidiary. He will be replaced by Nipun Aggarwal, Air India’s chief commercial officer, according to an internal memo sent on Tuesday.

Wilson will also step down from the board of Air India Express. Basil Kwauk, Air India’s chief operating officer, will take his place.

Keep ReadingShow less
Air India eyes Boeing jets rejected by Chinese airlines: report

Tata-owned Air India is interested in purchasing jets that Chinese carriers can no longer accept (Photo credit: Air India)

Air India eyes Boeing jets rejected by Chinese airlines: report

AIR INDIA is seeking to acquire Boeing aircrafts originally destined for Chinese airlines, as escalating tariffs between Washington and Beijing disrupt planned deliveries, reported The Times.

The Tata-owned airline, currently working on its revival strategy, is interested in purchasing jets that Chinese carriers can no longer accept due to the recent trade dispute. According to reports, Tata is also keen to secure future delivery slots should they become available.

Keep ReadingShow less
Infosys forecasts lower annual growth after Trump tariffs cause global uncertainty

The IT service firm said its revenue would either stay flat or grow by up to three per cent

Getty Images

Infosys forecasts lower annual growth after Trump tariffs cause global uncertainty

INDIAN tech giant Infosys forecast muted annual revenue growth last Thursday (17) in an outlook that suggests clients might curtail tech spending because of growing global uncertainty.

The IT service firm said its revenue would either stay flat or grow by up to three per cent in the fiscal year through March 2026 on a constant currency basis. The sales forecast was lower than the 4.2 per cent constantcurrency revenue growth Infosys recorded in the previous financial year.

Keep ReadingShow less
UK retailers

For many retailers, this has meant closing stores, cutting jobs, and focusing on more profitable business segments

Getty

6 UK retailers facing major store closures in 2025

In 2025, several UK retailers are experiencing major store closures as they struggle to navigate financial pressures, rising operational costs, and changing consumer behaviours. These closures reflect the ongoing challenges faced by traditional brick-and-mortar stores in an increasingly digital world. While some closures are part of larger restructuring efforts, others have been driven by financial instability or market shifts that have forced retailers to rethink their business strategies. Let’s take a closer look at six major UK retailers affected by these trends.

1. Morrisons

Morrisons, one of the UK's largest supermarket chains, is undergoing a significant restructuring in 2025. The company has announced the closure of several in-store services, including 52 cafés, 18 Market Kitchens, 17 convenience stores, and various other departments. This move is part of a larger strategy to streamline operations and address rising costs. Morrisons’ parent company, CD&R, has been focusing on reducing overheads and refocusing on core services.

Keep ReadingShow less