Domestic flight allocation increased by 3.5 percent

The country's civil aviation regulator Wednesday increased the winter schedule flight allotment of domestic passenger airlines by 3.5 percent.

According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the domestic passenger carriers will have the departure permissions of 12,305 flights per week this winter season from 11,886 flights that was allotted last year.

"The winter schedule 2014 is approved for 75 airports. For the first time scheduled air services will be available to Pant Nagar airport in WS 2014. Flights to Diu airport are approved up to Dec 31, 2014," the DGCA was quoted in a statement.

The DGCA said that airlines operating flights with to and from Delhi will file afresh schedule for the period Dec 15, 2014, to Feb 15, 2015, keeping in view the fog period.

"Airlines have been directed to operate with Cat IIIB compliant aircraft along with Cat IIIB trained flight crew to and from Delhi during fog period," the statement said.

IndiGo has the largest flight allocation with an increase of 25 percent at 3,733 flights per week, followed by GoAir 12.6 percent at 957 departures per week.

However, SpiceJet has had a reduction in flights by 16.2 percent at 2,277 flights followed by Air India subsidiary Alliance Air down 13.9 percent at 210 departures per week.