Super Sunday for airlines, Dusshera boosts traffic to post-resumption peak

Over 327,000 passengers took 2,372 flights, half of which were operated by IndiGo

Domestic airlines flew 327,923 passengers on Sunday – the highest since resumption of air travel last May. This translates to around 77 per cent of pre-Covid traffic.

Rapid vaccination and easing of state-wide restrictions has been fuelling month on month traffic growth. Sunday’s record number came during the Dussehra weekend which saw a spurt in leisure and visiting family and friends travel segments.

On Sunday airlines operated 2,372 flights. Half of them were operated by IndiGo. Industry wide seat occupancy jumped to around 87 per cent on Sunday. SpiceJet reported the highest load factor of 92.6 per cent.

The 300,000-mark was breached on October 9 for the first time since February with festive season spurring demand.

“Owing to the constructive policies of the government, domestic air traffic has seen the highest level, post the onset of pandemic. The civil aviation sector in India thrives amidst unprecedented challenges, whilst we make every effort to return to normalcy as soon as possible,” civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said in a tweet.

Last week the civil aviation ministry allowed airlines to increase capacity to hundred per cent from October 18. The winter schedule will kick in from October end and airlines are expected to gradually ramp up flights. Currently airlines are operating at 70-75 per cent of their capacity.