IndiGo Leads India’s Air Traffic with 55.9% Market Share Amid 74.5% Annual Growth

India’s aviation market is set to become the world’s third-largest in terms of domestic air traffic. According to the most recent data from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the number of passengers carried by domestic airlines in January-February 2023 was 2.46 crore, a 74.50% increase over the same period the previous year.

Monthly growth increased by 56.82% over the previous year. Domestic airlines carried 1.21 crore passengers in February 2023 alone, up from 76.96 lacks in February 2022.

IndiGo Maintains Dominance with More Than 50% Market Share

IndiGo, India’s largest budget airline, has retained its position as the top domestic carrier in February 2023, with a commanding market share of 55.9%.

In the same month, the airline carried 67.42 lakh passengers, far outnumbering Air India and Vistara, which finished second and third with market shares of 8.9% and 8.7%, respectively. With 8% and 7.1% market share, respectively, GoAir and SpiceJet rounded out the top five.

Air India and Vistara Merger Expected to Increase Competition

Although the merger of Air India and Vistara is imminent, it is not expected to pose a significant threat to IndiGo’s market dominance. The merged entity is expected to have no more than a 20% market share, leaving IndiGo in the lead for the foreseeable future.

Alliance Air Receives Maximum Complaints

In February 2023, scheduled domestic airlines received 359 passenger-related complaints, accounting for 0.3% of total passengers carried during the month.

The overall cancellation rate for scheduled domestic airlines was only 0.25%. Weather, technical, or operational issues were the most common reasons for cancellations.

The robust growth in domestic air traffic is encouraging for the Indian aviation industry, with IndiGo leading the way in terms of market share. However, in order to maintain and grow their customer base, airlines must continue to prioritise customer service and minimise cancellations.