Flight Delays Surge in 2024, Leaving Passengers in the Cold Despite Airline Expansion
Air passengers in India faced a frustrating year in 2024, with flight delays reaching unprecedented levels, leaving travellers frustrated and inconvenienced. Despite airlines aggressively expanding their fleets to keep pace with growing demand, operational inefficiencies plagued the industry, causing widespread delays. According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), one in every three domestic flights was delayed between January and November 2024 — a significant rise from the 22% delay rate in 2023.
This surge in delays is particularly evident with IndiGo, the country’s largest domestic airline, which saw a significant drop in on-time performance (OTP). In 2024, IndiGo topped the punctuality rankings just once, compared to six times in 2023. In contrast, Akasa Air, India’s youngest airline, managed to top the rankings six times, with an average OTP of 74%, surpassing IndiGo’s 71%. Air India and SpiceJet also lagged behind, with OTPs of 63% and 50%, respectively. These figures underline the growing operational challenges that airlines face amidst rapid fleet and route expansions. As the delays mounted, over 2.39 million passengers were directly affected, marking a 27% increase from the previous year. Despite the airlines’ efforts to compensate travellers, offering Rs 29.75 crore in facilities, the dissatisfaction among passengers was evident. Refunds, rebooking options, and meal vouchers were among the compensation measures provided, but for many, these offerings were not enough to offset the frustration caused by lengthy waits and unpredictable schedules.
Several factors contributed to the spike in delays, including “reactionary delays,” where a late arrival of aircraft, crew, or passengers from previous flights cascades into a chain reaction. Other causes included hoax bomb threats, technical outages, mass pilot absenteeism, and severe weather conditions. These disruptions made it even more challenging for airlines to maintain timely operations. Airline officials acknowledged the frustrations passengers faced. “For delays exceeding two hours, we offer refunds or rebooking options. In cases of diversions due to weather, we prioritise re-accommodating passengers, but often face constraints until conditions improve,” said a senior airline executive.
Despite this, the aggressive fleet expansions by airlines were seen as an attempt to meet the soaring demand for domestic air travel. IndiGo added 60-70 aircraft to its fleet in 2024, while Air India introduced a new aircraft every six days. However, the rapid expansion of fleet size also revealed inefficiencies in operational systems, with newer airlines like Akasa Air facing their own set of challenges. The delay in Boeing’s aircraft deliveries disrupted Akasa’s expansion plans and, in turn, contributed to delays in its operations. Moreover, the consolidation of the domestic air travel market into a duopoly, with over 90% of traffic controlled by IndiGo and Air India, has resulted in fewer options for travellers, creating added pressure on an already strained infrastructure. While the demand for air travel continues to grow — Icra projects domestic passenger traffic to increase by 7-10% in FY25 — these delays are expected to worsen unless airlines prioritise operational improvements.
As passengers endured extended waiting times, many turned to airports for answers. While some were able to enjoy compensation measures, others were left questioning whether the growing fleet sizes alone could truly address the underlying issues. Going forward, officials and airlines must focus on not just expanding their fleets, but improving operational efficiency, customer service, and punctuality. Only then can airlines hope to meet the expectations of an increasingly demanding air-travel public. As the year ends, the message is clear: the air travel sector must do more than just scale up to accommodate the increasing demand. Passenger satisfaction hinges on reliable and timely services, and only by addressing these core operational challenges can airlines ensure that their passengers are not left in the cold in 2025.
