India’s aviation sector flying high, 91% capex planned from FY20 to FY25 achieved: Economic Survey
Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. India’s aviation market is flying high and is the fastest-growing globally, the Economic Survey 2024-25 said on Friday, highlighting that the country’s airlines have placed among the largest orders for aircraft globally to accommodate growth in air traffic. There was a 6.12% increase in total domestic air passengers to 161.3 million in 2024 from 152 million in 2023, as per data by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation.
India's domestic flights recorded a passenger load factor of 86.4 per cent in 2024 to forge ahead of the US (84.1%) and China (83.2%), according to the latest report of the International Air Transport Association. Passenger load factor is a measure of capacity utilisation. In terms of aircraft orders, IndiGo, the Air India Group and Akasa Air have over 1,500 pending deliveries from Airbus and Boeing.
IndiGo, India’s largest carrier, has ordered over 900 Airbus aircraft, including 25 Airbus A350-900 widebody aircraft. A mix of over 500 narrowbody and widebody aircraft from Airbus and Boeing are to be delivered to the Air India Group. Akasa Air, India’s youngest commercial airline, has ordered over 190 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft.
The survey noted that about 91% of the planned capital expenditure of over ₹91,000 crore for the period from FY20 to FY25 by airport operators, developers including the Airports Authority of India (AAI) was achieved by November 2024. Among the new airports being developed, Noida International Airport near the national capital and Navi Mumbai International Airport near the financial capital are expected to improve India's aviation landscape. Noida International Airport is expected to start operations in the new fiscal year, initially with a single
. Read more on livemint.com
