Domestic air travel in India could get costlier, making it a challenge for travelers to stick to their budgets in the upcoming summer vacation period. Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has announced airlines will be operating fewer domestic flights during the upcoming summer season of 2023 compared to last year due to high oil prices and limited terminal capacity at airports. Indian carriers have increased their domestic services by 4.4 per cent to 22,907 weekly flights for the upcoming summer schedule of 2023, compared to 21,941 weekly flights in its winter schedule last year, reported CNBC.
However, the 22,907 weekly flights for the upcoming summer schedule mark a decrease of 9.5% from last year’s summer schedule of 25,309 weekly flights. Fewer flights will likely drive up the prices of domestic flights.
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The aviation regulator said, “It has been observed that there are 22,907 departures per week which have been finalized to/from 110 airports as per SS 23 compared to 21,941 departures per week from 106 airports in Winter Schedule 2022. Out of these 110 airports, Jeypore, Cooch Behar, Hollongi, Jamshedpur, Pakyong, and Mopa (Goa) are the new airports proposed by the scheduled airlines whereas operations from Ziro and Hindon airports are not proposed in the Summer Schedule 2023.”
As a result, prices of domestic flights to certain destinations are likely to spike during the peak summer season with fewer airlines servicing holidaying families and other travellers.
It is worth noting that the summer schedule begins on March 26, 2023, and ends on October 28, 2023.
IndiGo, India’s largest domestic carrier, will operate 11,465 weekly flights this summer compared to 10,085 weekly flights in the winter. At the same time, SpiceJet has bagged 2,240 weekly flights during the summer schedule, a decline of 30% from the winter schedule. SpiceJet is reeling under financial woes. The airline has been unable to expand its capacity despite a debt-equity restructuring with lessor Carlyle Aviation.
On the other hand, Air India, is expected to induct fresh capacity in June and will operate 2,178 weekly flights this summer, 9.45 per cent higher than the ongoing winter schedule.
India’s newest airline Akasa Air got 751 departures per week whereas Go Air bagged 1,538 weekly departures.
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