May 25-31 saw 2.8 lakh domestic flyers: DGCA

NEW DELHI: The first week of schedule domestic flight resumption saw 2.8 lakh people fly within India. Domestic flights were suspended on March 25 as part of the lockdown and allowed to resume at a one-third summer schedule level on May 25. According to Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) data released Tuesday, May 25-31 period saw 2.8 lakh domestic flyers. May 2019 (full month) had seen 1.2 crore domestic flyers.
The two month suspension has led to a 43.4% fall in domestic flyers this January-May. The first five months of this year saw 3.3 crore domestic flyers, as opposed to 5.8 crore in same period last year.
Aviation minister H S Puri tweeted on June 13 that “more than 10 lakh people have now flown on more than 11,500 flights since domestic operations recommenced on May 25, 2020."
In the seven days of May (25-31) when domestic flights operated, IndiGo had the highest market share of 50.6% (1.4 lakh passengers) followed by Air India (49,000 passengers) and SpiceJet (48,000 passengers) at over 17% share each; the two Tata JVs Vistara and AirAsia India at 14.3% (40,000 passengers) and then two small airlines accounting for the remaining 0.7%.
SpiceJet had the highest aircraft occupancy in May 25-31 period at 57.2% followed by Air India at 54%; IndiGo at 52.6%; AirAsia India at 46% and Vistara at 44.1%.
GoAir resumed domestic flights from June 1.
Summing up the two months of flights suspension (March 25 to May 24), Vistara CEO Leslie Thng said in a mail to the airline customers on Tuesday: “May 25, 2020, marked the retook to the skies once again after two long months of hiatus. These two months have been difficult and unprecedented for everyone.”
All airlines and airports have taken enhanced sanitation and hygiene steps to resume flying safely from May 25. While schedule international flights as of now are suspended till June-end, their resumption will be decided by the government after taking into account the pandemic situation.