India’s domestic passenger numbers climbed to 1.4 crore in May 2025, reflecting a 1.89% year-on-year increase, even amid flight disruptions caused by conflict near the Pakistan border. Despite operational impacts at over 30 border-area airports due to the India-Pakistan tensions following the Pahalgam attack suspension, domestic traffic held firm.
Data from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) indicates passenger volumes rose from 1.38 crore in May 2024 to 1.4 crore this May. Load factors—seat occupancy ratios that signal airline efficiency—showed a slight dip. IndiGo’s PLF fell from 86.9% last May to 85.1%, SpiceJet dropped from 86% to 84%, and Air India Group declined from 83.3% to 80.2%, while Akasa Air achieved a robust 91.4%. High load factors indicate well-utilised capacity, but sustained declines could affect yield management and profitability. IndiGo strengthened its market leadership, carrying approximately 90.8 lakh passengers in May with a 64.6% share—up from 64.1% a year ago.
Air India Group, transporting 37.22 lakh travellers, saw its market share dip to 26.5% from 27.2%. SpiceJet’s share fell to 2.4%, while Akasa improved to 5.3%. Operational resilience varied. IndiGo led on-time performance (OTP) with 84%, followed closely by Air India Group at 79.7% and Akasa at 78.9%. Alliance Air and SpiceJet lagged with 53.5% and 50.1% respectively. Flight cancellations stood at 2.51%—within normal seasonal variance. Passenger complaints reached 958 for May. Charter carrier Alliance Air recorded the most, followed by Fly Big and SpiceJet. While DGCA’s quarterly consumer satisfaction index remains steady, industry analysts caution continued attention to customer service is essential.
This growth builds on India’s aviation momentum: domestic flights have risen by over 8% year-on-year since March, with 1.45 crore in March and 1.43 crore in April benefiting from expanding fleet capacity and rising demand. ICRA projects passenger traffic growth of 7–10% annually through FY26, while long-term demand supports fleet expansion and infrastructure investment. Akasa Air’s exceptional PLF suggests its rapid route rollout is resonating. Smaller carriers face pressure to match such utilisation while maintaining punctuality and cost control. For full-service airlines like Air India, balancing network breadth with efficient seat yield remains critical.
However, DGCA’s role in overseeing capacity, on-time standards, and procedural safety must keep pace with rapid growth. The recent opening of India’s first black box analysis lab and aircraft capacity doubling alongside vacancies at DGCA highlight regulatory strain. ULCC dominance and fare pressure are reshaping travel options. IndiGo’s rising market share accompanies fare competition from expanding low-cost operators, leading to lower real fares but rising costs like ATF influenced by international fuel prices . As India’s civil aviation market ranks third globally, hitting 1.4 crore domestic travellers in May underlines both opportunity and operational challenge.
For travellers, access has grown; for airlines, efficiency, compliance and passenger satisfaction remain key. For regulators, ensuring sustainable growth requires robust oversight, balanced fare regulation, and capacity matching demand. The aviation blueprint now calls for safe skies, equitable growth, and resilient systems—so India’s flying public remains both empowered and protected.
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Indias Domestic Flyers Reach 1.4 Crore in May
