Amid lean season, average daily domestic air traffic rises 2.25% in August

The average daily domestic traffic in India increased by 2.25 per cent month-on-month (m-o-m) to 402,848 in August due to the lean travelling season, according to data from the Ministry of Civil Aviation reviewed by Business Standard.

Furthermore, except for SpiceJet, Indian carriers' load factors (occupancy rate) remained below 90 per cent in August too. All Indian carriers had recorded sub-90 per cent load factors in July.

After Go First suspended all flights from 3 May onwards, its passenger traffic shifted to other carriers, helping them achieve load factors of 90 per cent or higher in May and June. Due to the monsoon season, domestic traffic has now reduced.

In May, the high load factors had boosted airfares to such a level that Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia called a meeting with airlines, during which he asked them to self-monitor ticket prices, especially in the upper fare bands.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) approved Go First's plan to resume flights in July, subject to the outcome of pending court cases and the availability of interim funding. However, Go First has yet to resume flights. India's international traffic also saw a marginal decrease of 3.33 per cent month-on-month in August.