Indian carriers to operate fewer flights this summer than last

Indian carriers will operate a total of 22,907 weekly domestic flights during the summer schedule starting from March 26. While the number of flights is 4.4 per cent higher than the 21,941 weekly flights operated in the winter schedule, these numbers are lower compared to the previous summer.

A report in The Economic Times pointed out that the drop from 25,309 weekly flights last year to 22,907 this year comes amid shooting oil prices and capacity constraints airport. The summer schedule is from March 26 till October 28.

In a release on Friday, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said 22,907 departures per week have been finalised to/from 110 airports for the summer schedule compared to 21,941 departures per week from 106 airports in the winter schedule 2022.

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"Out of these 110 airports, Jeypore, Cooch Behar, Hollongi, Jamshedpur, Pakyong and Mopa (Goa) are the new airports proposed by the scheduled airlines whereas operations from Ziro and Hindon airport are not proposed in the summer schedule 2023," the release said.

As many as 11 airlines will be operating domestic services, with maximum weekly flights by IndiGo at 11,465.

Among the 11 airlines, Alliance Air, Air Asia, SpiceJet and Vistara will be operating fewer flights in the upcoming summer schedule compared to the 2022 winter schedule, which is from October 28, 2022 to March 25, 2023.

SpiceJet will be flying only 2,240 weekly flights in the summer schedule. This is nearly 30 per cent lower than 3,193 weekly flights in the winter schedule.

Tata Group-owned Air India will operate 2,178 weekly flights, which will be 9.45 per cent more than 1,990 flights in the winter schedule.

Its group airlines -- Vistara and AirAsia -- will be flying fewer flights compared to the winter schedule. While Vistara will be operating 1,856 weekly flights which will be 4.38 per cent lower as against the winter schedule number of 1,941, Air Asia will be flying a marginally lesser number of flights at 1,456.

In the winter schedule, the number of weekly flights of Air Asia was at 1,462. No-frills carrier Go Air, now rebranded as Go First, will be operating 10.65 per cent more weekly flights at 1,538 in the summer schedule.

Akasa Air will operate 751 weekly flights in the summer schedule.

In the summer schedule, Alliance Air will be flying 14 per cent less weekly flights at 887.

According to the release, Star Air and Fly Big will be operating a higher number of weekly flights in the summer schedule at 234 and 220, respectively.

IndiaOne will be the new operator in the 2023 summer schedule and it will operate 82 weekly flights.

After being significantly impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, the country's aviation sector is on a strong recovery path and domestic air traffic has been on the rise in recent times.

(Compiled using PTI inputs)