Average daily domestic traffic rose 1.65 percent month-on-month (month-on-month) to 408,906 in September, according to Civil Aviation Ministry data reviewed by Business Standard. This small increase can be attributed to the lean travel season and reduction in Akasa Air flights. India’s peak travel season falls between October and December, and industry officials expect a surge in both domestic and international passenger traffic in October.
But overall domestic demand remains strong, with four out of six major carriers reporting load factors above 90 percent in September.
Load factor refers to the degree of occupancy of the aircraft.
Akasa Air, which canceled a significant number of flights in September due to the sudden departure of 43 pilots, recorded a load factor of 90.3 percent. AirAsia India recorded the lowest load factor in September at 82.45 percent. In September, average daily international traffic increased just 0.7 percent to 178,578.
First published: October 11, 2023 | 11:33 p.m IST