19.84 lakh passengers flew domestically in June, load factor of airlines remained low: DGCA

However, the occupancy rate for other major airlines -- IndiGo, GoAir, Vistara, AirAsia India and Air India -- in the month of June stood at 60.7 per cent, 57.9 per cent, 56.6 per cent, 56.5 per cent and 56.5 per cent, respectively, as per the DGCA. India resumed domestic passenger flights on May 25 after a gap of two months amid the coronavirus pandemic.

A total of 19.84 lakh passengers traveled domestically in June this year, which is 83.5 percent lower than the figures of the corresponding period last year, the DGCA said on Friday. Moreover, the occupancy rate or load factor for five out of six major Indian airlines was between 50 and 60 percent in June 2020, it said.

"The passenger load factor in the month of June 2020 has shown a sharp decline due to limited air operations because of the COVID-19 outbreak," the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said. The occupancy rate in SpiceJet was 68 percent in June this year. However, the occupancy rate for other major airlines IndiGo, GoAir, Vistara, AirAsia India and Air India in the month of June stood at 60.7 percent, 57.9 percent, 56.6 percent, 56.5 percent, and 56.5 percent, respectively, as per the DGCA.

India resumed domestic passenger flights on May 25 after a gap of two months amid the coronavirus pandemic. Indian airlines are allowed to operate a maximum of 45 percent of their pre-COVID domestic flights.

A total of 2.81 lakh air passengers had traveled domestically between May 25 and May 31, the DGCA had said last month. The DGCA data mentioned that Vistara had the best on-time performance at four metro airports - Bengaluru, Delhi, Hyderabad, and Mumbai - at 96.1 percent in June.

IndiGo and AirAsia India were at number two and three at these four airports with 95.5 percent and 94.7 percent on-time performance, respectively, the regulator said. In June, IndiGo carried 11.89 lakh domestic passengers, which is a 52.5 percent share of the total domestic market, the DGCA data noted. At number two, SpiceJet carried 3.82 lakh, domestic passengers, in June, indicating a 16.9 percent share of the total market.

Air India, AirAsia India, Vistara, and GoAir carried 2.9 lakh, 1.62 lakh, 1.3 lakh, and 89,000 domestic passengers respectively in June, the DGCA noted. The aviation sector has been significantly impacted due to the travel restrictions imposed in India and other countries in view of the coronavirus pandemic.

All airlines in India have taken cost-cutting measures such as pay cuts, leave without pay, and firings of employees in order to conserve cash flow.