New Delhi, 24 April (IANS). The number of domestic air passengers in March is estimated to be 148.8 lakhs, which is an increase of 11.3 percent on an annual basis. This is 5.9 percent increase in February 2025 from 140.4 lakh passengers. This information was given in a report on Thursday.
According to a report by the Credit Rating Agency ICRA, the number of domestic air passengers for FY 2025 (April 2024 – March 2025) was 1,657.1 lakhs, an increase of 7.8 percent on an annual basis and 17.6 lakhs more than 1,415.6 lakhs of Kovid -East level in FY 2020.
The report stated that the Indian aviation industry’s approach remains stable due to an estimation of moderate growth in the number of domestic air travelers and the relatively stable cost environment in FY 2026.
In the 11 months of FY 2025, the number of international passengers increased by 14.6 percent on an annual basis to 309.5 lakhs, which is 41.9 percent more than 218.1 lakhs at the Kovid-East level.
According to the report, the capacity deployment of airlines in March 2025 was 8.5 percent more than March 2024 and 10.7 percent more than in February 2025.
This was in line with ICRA’s estimates of 7–10 percent annual growth for FY 2025.
It is estimated that the domestic aviation industry will operate on the passenger load factor (PLF) of 88.2 percent in March 2025, while it was 86.0 percent in March 2024, 87.0 percent for FY 2025 and 88.0 percent in FY 2024.
From April 2024 to March 2025, ATF prices were lower annually in the months of April, June, September, October, January and March 2025, resulting in an average price of ATF in the financial year 2025 on an annual basis.
The report stated that in April 2025, ATF prices gradually declined by 6.1 percent and 12.9 percent less on an annual basis.
“It would be important to ‘fare hike’, expanding their profit margins,” the report said, “Airlines will be important in extending the ratio of increase in input costs.”
-IANS
SKT/ABM
