India: The domestic travel rate in May declined by 63 per cent as only 21.15 lakh domestic passengers availed air services, said the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). A decrease of 63% was recorded in May against 57.75 lakh travellers in April, stated the country’s aviation regulator. The drop in the domestic air traffic in May is attributed to the resurgence of the novel virus that pitched a hole in every sector.
While IndiGo carried 11.69 lakh passengers in May, a 55.3-per cent share of the domestic market, SpiceJet flew 1.99 lakh passengers, accounting for a 9.4-per cent share of the market, according to data shared by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
As per the data retrieved from the month of May, Air India, Go First, Vistara and AirAsia India ferried 4.29 lakh, 1.38 lakh, 97,000 and 64,000 passengers respectively.
Talking about the occupancy rates, DGCA stated that the occupancy rate of six major Indian airlines was between 39.3 percent and 64 per cent in May. While SpiceJet witnessed an occupancy of 64% only. The occupancy rates for IndiGo, Vistara, GO FIRST, Air India and AirAsia India were 51.2 per cent, 40.9 percent, 63.3 per cent, 39.3 percent and 44.4 percent respectively, it added.
India resumed its air services on May 25 after a hiatus of 2 months attributed to the second wave of the pandemic. All airlines in India have opted for cost-reducing measures such as pay cuts, leave without pay and layoffs in order to tide over the crisis.