India’s passenger traffic has reached 85.7% of pre-pandemic levels according to the latest data revealed by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). The country's RPKs (revenue passenger kilometres) increased 48.8% compared to 2021, while domestic ASK (Available Seat Kilometres) increased 30.1% from the previous year, the report claimed.
Meanwhile, India’s civil aviation regulator, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had reported India’s passenger traffic to be 123.2 million passengers in 2022, 47% more than 2021. The report further added that IndiGo and Vistara have already surpassed their 2019 capacity.
IndiGo carried almost 68 million passengers, a million more than it did in 2019, while Vistara flew 11.35 million passengers last year, significantly more than 7.44 million in 2019.
December 2022 was a busy month for India aviation as domestic airlines reported the highest post-COVID capacity just two days before the start of the new year. Even various airports across the country reported record single day passenger traffic in December and January.
Mumbai International Airport’s passenger footfalls crossed pre-pandemic mark in January 2023 while Goa International Airport also recorded its highest-ever flight traffic on a single day on January 1, 2023 with 104 flights.