Going global good for IndiGo as home turf to get crowded

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

InterGlobe Aviation's decision to expand its presence on international routes is timely considering the rising competition in the domestic market where it already controls over 60% share. Given the factors such as network expansion, capacity deployment, and a possible benefit of tax loss, analysts have raised the earnings per share (EPS) forecast for FY25 by as much as 38% (Emkay). The stock fell by 4.7% on Thursday on the BSE.

It has fallen by over 10% in the past 10 trading sessions amid weakness in the broader market and concerns over rising international crude prices which have gained nearly 14% since the last week of June. In a post-earnings conference call, the company which operates IndiGo, India's largest airline by market share, said that it plans to expand capacity on international routes to 30% at the end of FY24 from 23% at present. The airline served 26 international destinations and 37 additional destinations through strategic partnerships at the end of the June quarter.

Its market share on international routes improved to around 15-16% from 12.8% before the Covid-19 pandemic. The airline plans to add six more international destinations in the current year. In the coming quarters, domestic competition is likely to intensify from SpiceJet (fund infusion), Jet Airways (revival), Akasa Air and Air India, which are either adding capacity aggressively or starting operations anew.

This, and given the present dominating market share means there may not be enough room for further expansion in the domestic market. Hence, the sustained focus on international routes is advantageous. The re-opening of the Chinese economy may also add to the demand in the international market.