Delta Air Lines will serve Mumbai from New York John F Kennedy, rather than Atlanta, as it seeks to re-establish itself in the fast-growing Indian market. The planned launch comes despite the suspension of services by Jet Airways, which would have provided feeder traffic.
The number of domestic departure seats in India is set to top 165 million this year, with such “unprecedented” growth driving the need for more than 2,300 new jets over the next two decades.
India plans to spend $60bn over the next 15 years to expand its airport infrastructure as growth forecasts indicate a trebling of passenger demand by 2037. The country’s government is also working on a relief package for struggling carriers.
Indian carrier Jet Airways is planning to grow its domestic presence over the coming months as it seeks to revive its fortunes. Separately, the Indian government has published draft proposals to extend its UDAN regional air connectivity scheme to international routes.
India’s government has admitted it is open to selling its entire stake in loss-making flag carrier Air India after its recent attempt failed to attract any buyers.
US carrier Delta Air Lines claims that its planned return to India is because of agreements over three of its Middle Eastern rivals' practices. However, analysis of the market suggest there are bigger factors at play.
WOW air is adding India to its route network later this year as the low-cost carrier seeks to use Iceland as a connecting hub for traffic between Asia and North America. Routesonline looks at the rapid growth of the airline and why India is a focus for expansion.
Five years after hosting Routes Asia, Routesonline hears about the massive growth of Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai and how it is dealing with capacity constraints.
India’s exponential rise in both passenger and freight traffic means the country will need 1,750 new aircraft over the next 20 years, according to estimates from Airbus.
Many of India’s major airports are operating at full capacity, but Raj Andrade from Bangalore International Airport says better discussion between airlines and airports should help to ease constraints.
Indian airlines are expected to order 2,100 new planes worth $290bn over the next 20 years as the country’s aviation market growth shows no sign of slowing.
In the international market IndiGo is currently ranked as India’s sixth largest carrier behind local operators Jet Airways, Air India, low-cost carrier Air India Express and Gulf giants Emirates Airline and Etihad Airways. It will this year hold a 4.1 per cent share of international capacity from India, based on published schedules, up from 3.2 per cent in 2016.
India is still failing to address capacity issues and high fuel prices despite a recent rethink of the country’s aviation policy. Speaking at a Routes Talks Focus on India, Mumbai International Airport CEO Rajeev Jain said the new Civil Aviation Policy has failed to address the fundamental problem of ensuring there is enough space for the country’s aviation sector.
Indian full-service carrier Vistara hopes to take advantage to changes in air service regulations to launch international flights within the next year, its chief strategy and commercial officer, Sanjiv Kapoor, confirmed during a panel discussion at the Routes Asia Strategy Summit in Okinawa, Japan earlier today.
A new four times weekly Delhi – Copenhagen route will commence from May 2017, according to Air India, and will be flown using a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner. A Delhi – Washington flight will operate on a three times weekly basis and will be flown using a Boeing 777 from July 2017. These will be the only non-stop operation on the two routes
