February halts airlines’ descent

New Delhi: The combination of downturn in the economy and relatively high airfares continues to plague the domestic airline industry.
The nine domestic airlines have reported close to a seven-per cent decline in the number of passengers flown in this February as compared to the same period last year.
The latest data collated by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) show that in February this year the industry flew 33.36 lakh passengers, down from 35.82 lakh passengers flown in the same period in the previous year.On a month-on-month basis, however, there is a marginal increase of about 10,000 passengers in this February as compared to 33.26 lakh flown in January
This February, the low cost airline SpiceJet, Air India (domestic), JetLite and GoAir were among the carriers which saw an increase in passengers flown as compared to January.
While SpiceJet carried 20,000 more passengers in February , Air India was marginally behind having flown 19,000 more passengers . JetLite, the 100 per cent subsidiary of Jet Airways, flew 8,000 more passengers in February . Mumbai airport, which along with Delhi, accounts for almost 60 per cent of domestic air traffic, saw a 9.5-per cent decline in domestic traffic in January this year as compared to the same period the previous year. A spokesperson for the airport said that the February domestic air traffic movement will be available only in the next few days.
13/03/09 Business Line

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Categories: Indian Aviation- In General Mar 2009