Number of domestic flyers up 21% in Jan-Mar

In what may come as a relief for airline companies, the number of domestic air travellers between January and March showed a healthy increase over the same period a year ago, when the industry was feeling the heat of the global recession.
More than 12 million passengers were carried by domestic airlines between the January-March period this year, almost 21 per cent more than 9.98 million during the same period last year, according to figures released by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation.
While Jet Airways and JetLite together account for about 26 per cent of these increase, Kingfisher Airlines accounts for 23 per cent, followed by National Aviation Company of India Ltd (Nacil), which flies under the Air India brand, came a close third at 17.8 per cent.
Tour operators are rejoicing the return of the domestic travellers.
With the number of travellers rising, airlines have also increased their airfares to offset the increase in the prices of aviation turbine fuel (ATF). For the fourth time in two months, state-owned oil retailers raised ATF prices, most recently by 3.2 per cent. Most airlines have increased their fares by about 10 per cent and some like Jet Airways plan to increase their fares by 10-15 per cent in the near future.
22/04/10 Sneha Kupekar/Business Standard

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Categories: Indian Aviation- In General Apr 2010