The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has revealed that domestic airlines in India carried a total of 16.13 million passengers in 2024, marking an 8.19% increase from 15.20 million passengers in 2023. This growth highlights the continued recovery and expansion of India’s aviation sector, signaling a strong rebound in domestic air travel as passenger demand rises across the country.
Despite the overall positive trend in passenger numbers, the DGCA’s report raised concerns regarding operational challenges within the sector. SpiceJet, in particular, was reported to have the highest number of flight cancellations in 2024, drawing attention to the airline’s ongoing struggles with operational consistency. This is a significant issue as cancellations can severely impact customer satisfaction and trust, especially during a period of growing demand for air travel.
On a more positive note, the DGCA also highlighted the on-time performance of India’s major airlines, with IndiGo emerging as the top performer. IndiGo had the best on-time record in key airports, including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad, with an impressive on-time performance rate of 73.4%. This achievement underscores IndiGo’s operational efficiency and commitment to ensuring passengers’ timely travel. Akasa Air and Air India followed with on-time performance rates of 62.7% and 67.6%, respectively, showcasing their efforts to improve punctuality and service reliability.
The DGCA’s report reflects a competitive and evolving landscape within India’s aviation industry. While there is clear evidence of growing passenger numbers and improvements in punctuality, it also underscores the need for airlines to address operational issues such as flight cancellations. As demand for air travel continues to rise, airlines will need to prioritize reliability, customer satisfaction, and operational excellence to maintain and grow their market share in an increasingly crowded sector.
