Domestic air traffic in India grows 8.6% in April
17 May 2008
New Delhi: The domestic airline industry recorded a growth of 8.6 per cent during April, as compared to same period last year. According to the latest data released by the ministry of civil aviation, 38.92 lakh passengers flew with scheduled domestic airlines during April, up from 35.82 lakh passengers in the same period last year.
India's largest carrier, Jet Airways, continued to be the market leader in April, carrying 8.39 lakh passengers, while its subsidiary, JetLite, ferried 3.11 lakh passengers. Another merged entity, Kingfisher Airlines, along with its partner, the renamed Simplifly Deccan, carried 1.08 million passengers. While Kingfisher accounted for 5.58 lakh passengers, it was marginally higher than the 5.30-lakh passengers carried by Deccan.
Air India (domestic) ferried 5.86 lakh passengers, which was down from 7.81 lakh in the previous year.
Among the low cost carriers, IndiGo carried 4.46 lakh, SpiceJet 3.94 lakh and GoAir 1.80 lakh passengers during the month of April.
Oil prices have risen six-fold since 2002 and doubled since last year and the rising demand from China and other developing nations has added pressure on the US economy already hard hit by a housing slump.
