Airlines will fly fewer flights this winter compared to last year

Domestic airlines will fly 1.55 per cent less flights per week this winter compared to last year -- from 22,287 to 21,941 -- with GoAir decreasing its services by 39.3 per cent and the market leader IndiGo capturing almost half of the weekly departure slots.

The Winter Schedule effective from 30 October, 2022 to 31 March, 2023 has been finalised by the authorities after a slot conference meeting held in September, officials said on Friday.

The decrease in this year's weekly departures showed that the airlines are yet to ramp up their services to pre-Covid levels. In 2019, the weekly departures during winter was 23,307.

Airlines will operate flights from 105 airports across the country, including new ones in Deghar, Shimla and Rourkela.

While GoAir has decreased its weekly flights from 2,290 to 1,390, IndiGo too has a 1.54 per cent dip in weekly schedules from 10,243 to 10,085. However, IndiGo's weekly departures accounted for around 46 per cent of the total.

New airline Akasa Air will operate 479 flights this winter.

Tata-run Vistara has a 15.88 per cent rise in flights from 1,675 to 1,941 but its sister concern Air India has seen a 3.07 per cent decrease in flights from 2,053 to 1,990. Another Tata-run airline AirAsia India also saw a 4.95 per cent rise from 1,393 to 1,462.

Regional carrier Star Air will operate 153 weekly domestic flights as against 137 weekly services last year. Fly Big will be operating 214 flights as against 116 last year, recording the highest increase in proportion at 84.48per cent.