Domestic air passenger traffic has neared pre-pandemic levels with various airlines having ferried 1.14 crore air travelers last month compared with 1.22 crore in May 2019, according to ratings agency ICRA.
The number of passengers who flew domestically was also higher in May by 5% compared with the previous month, and the total number of flights operated were up by 6% in the same comparative period.
“For May 2022, the average daily departures were at 2,784, notably higher than the average daily departures of 894 in May 2021, and higher compared to 2,726 in April 2022. The average number of passengers per flight during May 2022 was 132, against an average of 133 passengers per flight in April 2022 and lower than an average of 139 passengers per flight in May 2019,” said Suprio Banerjee, vice president and sector head, ICRA.
Yields (or average revenue per passenger per mile) had also improved by 18-20% over the past months.
Though there was near-normalcy in domestic airline operations, the overhang of another COVID-19 wave loomed large, and elevated aviation turbine fuel prices would continue to weigh on the profitability of Indian airlines, the agency said.
In FY23, overall passenger traffic is expected to reach 96-97% of pre-pandemic levels, said ICRA.
International passenger traffic had seen ‘healthy’ growth since international flights resumed fully on March 27 after a two-year ban, and reached 72% of the pre-Covid level last month.
Total cargo volumes have also reached 98% of of the pre-Covid levels in April 2022, and are expected to increase by 9-10% year-on-year and surpass pre-Covid levels in FY23.
