Positive pandemic developments lift India's Nov domestic air passenger traffic: IATA

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SME Times News Bureau | 13 Jan, 2022
Positive pandemic developments along with holiday season and lesser Covid restrictions pushed India's November 2021 domestic air passenger traffic higher on a year-on-year basis.

The accelerated vaccination drive as well as rising economic activity supported the trend during that period.

Accordingly, the traffic rose 64.5 per cent over November 2020 level. However, it was down 17.1 per cent when compared to the corresponding period of 2019.

According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), India's domestic air passenger volume on a year-on-year basis -- measured in revenue passenger kilometres (RPK) -- was one of the highest amongst major aviation markets such as Australia, Brazil, China, Japan, Russia, and the US. The country's domestic available passenger capacity -- measured in available seat kilometres (ASK) -- was up 49 per cent YoY.

On the other hand, when compared to November 2019, the ASK level was down 7.1 per cent.

"Positive pandemic developments also contributed to better outcomes in India and Japan, where RPKs fell by 17.1 per cent and 37.5 per cent versus 2019, respectively," IATA said in its Air Passenger Market Analysis for November 2021.

Lately, certain travel restrictions by state governments have been reimposed in the wake of the third Covid wave.