The modest capacity increase in the summer flight schedule, along with high passenger traffic demand, is projected to drive up airfares, according to industry insiders.
Speaking to businessline, industry insiders blamed the slower rate of aircraft induction as well as airport capacity constraints for the modest flight additions in the summer schedule 2025 (SS25), effective from March 30 to October 25, 2025.
businessline on Tuesday reported that on a year-on-year basis, the Indian carriers will operate only 5.5 per cent more flights to and from 129 airports during SS25.
According to the 2025 schedule released by the regulator, DGCA, the overall flight departures will rise to 25,610 per week from 24,275 per week during the summer schedule 2024.
On a sequential basis, flight departures during SS25 grew only by 2.41 per cent per week compared to the winter schedule 2024 (WS24).
“The DGCA’s summer schedule reveals a modest 5.5 per cent increase in flight capacity, which may not meet the soaring demand,” said Jagannarayan Padmanabhan, Senior Director & Global Head (transport, mobility, and logistics) at Crisil Market Intelligence and Analytics.
“This imbalance could drive up fares, benefiting airlines with higher profitability despite the limited capacity expansion. With 25,610 weekly flights planned, the aviation sector is poised to capitalise on this opportunity.”
On the other hand, the latest data set showed that India’s domestic air passenger traffic grew by 11.04 per cent in February 2025 on a year-on-year basis.
Domestic flight operators
The data cited that India’s scheduled domestic flight operators ferried around 1.40 crore passengers last month.
In February 2024, the traffic number stood at 1.26 crore.
“Airfares are expected to rise exponentially, especially during the upcoming summer season, as capacity addition is quite low in the summer schedule due to aircraft groundings and lower induction rates,” industry expert Mark Martin of Martin Consulting said.
“The only solution at hand for airlines is to double operating hours from nine to 18. However, at this rate of utilisation, the aircraft would require earlier overhauls.”
Earlier, Air India’s chief executive and managing director, Campbell Wilson, said that the slower rate of aircraft deliveries due to global supply chain constraints is impacting the industry’s growth plans.
Wilson, an industry veteran, was speaking at an event last week, where he said that the situation is expected to persist for another four to five years.
Presently, there are 813 aircraft in the fleet of scheduled airlines. Out of these, 680 planes are operational and 133 are grounded.
The figures from the civil aviation ministry do not include wet-leased aircraft (those operated by foreign pilots and crew).
As per ‘SS25,’ IndiGo had the highest number of flights approved under the schedule.
Under the approved schedule, IndiGo will operate 14,158 flights per week, up 8.49% on a y-o-y basis, followed by Air India at 4,310, up 89.20 per cent, Air India Express at 3,375, up 38.49 per cent, and Akasa Air at 1,089, up 20.60 per cent.
On the other hand, the approved flight strength of SpiceJet went down by 25.17 per cent to 1,240 and that of Alliance Air by 41.96 per cent to 520.
Additionally, Star Air’s approved flight strength rose to 58.31 per cent to 505, and Fly91 by 515 per cent to 123. FlyBig will operate 176 flights and IndiaOne 114.