The upcoming winter season promises to bring a significant boost to India’s aviation sector, with an impressive 8% increase in the number of flights scheduled, according to the latest data released by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). This increase signifies a positive trend, with a total of 23,732 flight departures per week anticipated, surpassing the winter schedule of 2019 by 1.4% and the summer schedule by 3.6%.
Under the oversight of DGCA, airlines in India receive biannual approvals for flight departures, covering both the summer and winter schedules. The winter schedule for 2023 is poised to commence from October 29th and extend until March 30th, providing a comprehensive overview of the country’s aviation landscape.
The void created by the withdrawal of Go First in the previous winter season, accounting for 1,390 flight departures, has paved the way for other carriers to expand their services. Leading this surge in flights is IndiGo, India’s largest airline, with plans to deploy 13,119 flight departures, marking a substantial 30% increase compared to the 10,085 departures it proposed last year.
Air India, now under Tata ownership, closely follows with an anticipated 19% growth in its operations, offering 2,367 flight departures weekly, up from 1,990 in the previous year. AirAsia India and Air India Express jointly propose 1,940 flight departures, representing an increase from their 1,462 departures in the previous winter season. However, Vistara is experiencing a slight reduction, with a 2% decrease in its proposed flight deployments, set at 1,902 departures per week.
On the other hand, Akasa Air, India’s newest airline, is preparing for substantial growth, with a 5% increase in weekly flight departures from the summer schedule and a remarkable 65% surge compared to the previous winter schedule, resulting in 790 flights per week.
In contrast, low-cost carrier SpiceJet is facing a setback, as it will witness a 33% decline from the same period last year and a 5% drop from the summer schedule. It plans to operate 2,132 flights per week.
The DGCA’s announcement also highlighted the addition of nine new airports to the scheduled airlines’ list, including Bhatinda, Jaisalmer, Ludhiana, Nanded, Shivmoga, Salem, Utkela, Hindon, and Ziro. Notably, Gondia airport will not feature in the Winter Schedule 2023 operations.
These developments promise an exciting and dynamic winter season for India’s aviation industry, with various carriers expanding their services and numerous new airports on the horizon.
