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Domestic air passenger traffic grew 14 per cent, while domestic air transport of goods grew 12 per cent in 2018-19, the Survey showed.
It pointed out that domestic passenger traffic in revenue per passenger kilometres (RPK) recorded the fastest growth in the world at about 20 per cent for over 50 consecutive months up to December 2018, which positively impacted the country’s economy.
The demand and supply trends in civil aviation show that passenger demand was higher than the seat supply, the Survey said.
To meet the surging demand and provide air connectivity to remote regions, new greenfield airports are being rapidly developed, the Survey said.
Tapping the PPP model
Based on the performance of joint ventures in the airport sector, the government has decided to lease out six brownfield airports of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) in public-private partnership mode following the operation, maintenance and development model (Guwahati, Lucknow, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Mangalore and Thiruvananthapuram), which is expected to enhance service quality at these airports, besides bringing more revenues to the AAI.
The Cabinet on Wednesday gave its nod for three of the six airports at Mangaluru, Lucknow and Ahmedabad to be managed by the Adani Group.
The Survey said 719 regional air connectivity routes (RCS), popularly called UDAN routes, were awarded in three rounds of bidding, of which 182 are operational.
“The routes are widely spread geographically, providing connectivity country-wide and ensuring balanced regional growth, while making air travel convenient and affordable. Currently, connectivity has been provided to more than 22 States and Union Territories,” the Survey added. It pointed out that once all the routes are operationalised, more than 1 crore RCS-UDAN seats will be provided annually, and 21 States would have more than 3 operational airports each.
Cargo carried by air also recorded double-digit growth of 12.1 per cent in 2018-19 over the previous year with 3.6 million tonnes of air cargo being handled, the Survey said.
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