Airlines carried 71 lakh passengers on domestic flights in SeptemberThe domestic air passengers footfall is up by about 80 per cent in September 2021, compared to the corresponding month last year, according to data by aviation regulator Director General Civil Aviation (DGCA).”In September 2020, 3.9 million passengers boarded flights compared to 7.1 million in 2021 – a surge of 79.23 per cent,” said DGCA data.Airlines carried 71 lakh passengers on domestic flights in September, compared to 39 lakh passengers in the corresponding month last year. The domestic airlines also carried 5.5 per cent more passengers in August, registering an increase of 33.83 per cent compared to July 2021.The load factors – passengers carried per flight, in September 2021 was highest for SpiceJet at 78.8 per cent. The load factors for GoAir stood at 74.1 per cent, IndiGo at 73.6 per cent, Vistara at 72.4 per cent, AirAsia India at 68 per cent, and Air India at 63.7 per cent, according to the DGCA.The domestic passenger footfall – which reached the highest level post-COVID in February, started declining after the second wave of the pandemic hit India March in 2021.The return of passengers and boarding of more flights started in June after COVID cases declined in the country and the vaccination drive picked up. The festive season has also set the tone for the revival of domestic passengers in the country.In a recent announcement, the government allowed 100 per cent flying capacity to the airlines after a one year long restriction due to the pandemic. A drop in the number of new Covid cases, government’s easing of restrictions on the capacity offered by airlines, and vaccination doses are some reasons why travel analysts the growth to continue.
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