Domestic Airlines - Growth in Indian Airline Industry

The civil aviation industry in India is on a high-growth trajectory. By 2020 India aims to become the third-largest player in the aviation market. Driven by modern airports, low cost carriers, advanced information technology, and FDI in domestic airlines, the civil aviation industry in our country is moving towards a major boom. Interestingly, India is the ninth largest civil aviation market in the world with a market size of approximately US$16 billion. According to predictions of IATA (International Air Transport Association), India’s air passenger traffic will grow to 378 million by 2034. International airlines and domestic airlines are both vying to woo the Indian traveller today.

A sharp rise in number of travelers

In January 2016 the domestic air passenger traffic rose by 23%. A survey conducted by Nielsen has revealed that 12% of business travel in the country takes place for conferences, events and meetings. Frequency of leisure trips is high among those aged 26 to 30 years. They claim to travel at least once in six months for personal reasons. Nearly half of those travelling with families are also young, aged between 25 to 35 years. Indians love vacations, and organized and planned tours are not uncommon.
Further infrastructure improvements have fueled the robust growth in Indian airline industry. Old airports are getting a facelift, low cost carriers are a convenient choice, several green-field airports have come up which have made several regions more accessible.

Domestic airlines operating in India

For most travelers the key parameter to choosing an airlines is the value for money which they get in return. A look at domestic flights which operate within India:
Indigo: Ranked at the first position it is one of the fastest growing airlines in India. The fleet size of the Indigo airlines is close to 86 aircrafts which serves close to 5 million passengers. This privately owned airline started its operations in 2006 and at present it has the largest market share which is close to 40%. Indigo is considered as India’s best low cost carrier. Although the fares are low, the airline has not compromised on safety, punctuality or the customer service. It promises value for money. The airline offers web check in, that allows travelers to select the seat, choose meal options and print the boarding pass directly from the computer. The airline web check-in speeds up the check-in process, and reduces waiting time at the airport.
Jet Airways: Established on 1st April 1992 Jet Airways is the second largest airline in India. It is recognized as one of India’s well-known and reliable carriers. Jet Airways has a fleet of 115 aircraft and has won many awards for the top notch service which it provides. The airline is popular owing to its flawless in-flight service and punctuality. It is known to mostly adhere to its flight schedule. Further the efficient staff ensure that your journey is comfortable. This premier international airline is based in Mumbai and connects most of the major Indian cities.
Vistara: A new domestic carrier, Vistara made its debut in 2014. It is a joint venture between Singapore Airlines and India’s Tata Sons. It is a full service airline where passengers will not have to pay for food or water inside the airline. Seats in Vistara offer sufficient legroom and recline more than its competitors. It operates across 10 destinations in India.
Go Air: Go Air is a privately owned low cost airline which started its operations in late 2005. The fleet of 19 airplanes operate in over 20 destinations. It offers connectivity to few remote destinations which includes Srinagar, Guwahati and Jammu. If you decide to travel by Go Air you can avail cheap air tickets.
Air India: This is a Mumbai based full service airline which is owned by the Indian government. Air India has a fleet of 108 aircrafts it has well planned routes and flight schedule. It is reliable, has comfortable seats and offers adequate legroom to the travelers.
SpiceJet: Based in Delhi, Indigo is a privately owned, low cost carrier which has been operating since mid-2005. It operates 293 daily flights to 40 destinations which include 34 Indian and 6 international destinations. Although SpiceJet does not provide complimentary meals on any of its flights, it does offer the choice of buying on-board in-flight meals. It offers premium services where passengers can avail benefits like priority baggage handling, priority check-in at higher fare and pre-assigned seat.