INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
| Representational Photo3 min read Last Updated : Sep 16 2024 | 9:54 AM IST
The number of passengers flying directly between India and
the rest of the world has reached a new high, according to UK-based air consultancy firm OAG.
In 2023, India recorded approximately 65
million international air travellers, just 600,000 fewer than in 2019 (pre-pandemic)
Of these, around 37 million passengers flew non-stop, an increase of 2 million compared to 2019, revealed the OAG's analysis as quoted in a
report by The Times of India.
Meanwhile, the number of travellers opting for indirect routes fell by 2.5 million, bringing the total to 27
popularity
The substantial growth in international flights offered by IndiGo and Tata's Air India Group, along with new entrants such as
Akasa and other foreign airlines, has transformed air traffic patterns
Increasingly, more passengers are opting for non-stop flights instead of journeys involving one or two stopovers at hub airports, said the
OAG report.
Separately, Indian airports are also becoming more prominent as transfer hubs, with 1 million passengers using them to connect
For instance, travellers might fly from Kathmandu to New York via Delhi
Furthermore, with countries such as Vietnam and Indonesia now offering direct flights to India, one-stop journeys are becoming less
countries, which lost around 1 million indirect passengers between 2019 and 2023
Other hubs experienced a combined loss of 2.8 million indirect passengers, while Indian hubs gained 1 million during this period.
Over the
past four years, Indian airlines have launched 52 new international routes, further boosting the country's global connectivity.
Data from
Crisil Ratings revealed that Indian airlines accounted for approximately 43 per cent of the international passenger traffic originating
from, transiting through, or destined for India in 2023-24
This marks a significant increase from the pre-pandemic share of less than 35 per cent, reflecting the growing demand for international
From January to June 2024, Indian airlines carried 79.35 million passengers, marking a 4 per cent increase compared to the same period the
previous year, according to DGCA data.
This represents the highest-ever domestic passenger traffic for a half-year period, surpassing the
previous record of 76.09 million passengers in 2023
the current figures.First Published: Sep 16 2024 | 9:53 AMIST
