New Delhi: The festive season spurt in travel around Diwali in November this year has managed to arrest the free fall of domestic air travel. While September and October, 2012, had recorded the highest ever double digit — 12.4% and 15.7% falls —over same months last year, the fall in November was 7.3% and domestic passenger traffic crossed the 50 lakh mark.
Based on pre-November traffic dip, the Geneva-based International Air Travel Association (IATA) has already termed India as the "worst performing" domestic air travel market in the world.
While Airlines expect some good traffic flow in the year-end, they are wary of yet another round of steep fall from January to March. The biggest reason for India's decline in domestic air traffic is the fact that while the economy is slowing down, cost of flying is increasing due to lesser airline capacity and high user charges for both passengers and airlines at airports here, especially Delhi.
20/12/12 Times of India
