SpiceJet Overtakes Air India
Tuesday, 29th July 2014 at 04:37am
Among the local Indian carriers, SpiceJet has posted the biggest increase in market share for the month of June in the domestic sector when it grew 1.1% over the previous month.
The increase was largely attributed to the budget airline's frequent ticket promos. With the increase, the airline has now a 19% share in the country's domestic commercial aviation market, thereby overtaking Air India as the third largest airline to date.
GoAir, another low-cost carrier, is the only other airline who registered a growth during the month of June. The data from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) showed that the airline was able to grow its market to 10% since its founding in 2005.
Although IndiGo's market share declined by mere 0.1% over the previous month, the low-cost airline retains its lead as India's largest airline, capturing 31.6% of the domestic market during the month of June, down from 31.7%.
Jet Airways, a full-service airline and its low-cost affiliate, JetKonnect, together snared a sizable 19.6 market share to take the second spot as the country's biggest carrier.
The state-owned flag carrier, Air India, slid to the 4th spot with its domestic market share down to 18.5% in June, from 18.6% in the previous month.
The newcomer, AirAsia India, who has just launched its commercial service last month, was able to capture 0.2% share, but boasted a load factor of 80%, high enough for a start-up airline. The budget Indian of Asia's giant low-cost group currently serves two routes connecting Bangalore to Goa and Chennai. In September this year, it will launch its service to Chandigarh and Jaipur, also from Bangalore.
GoAir maintained a high load factor of 81.5%, higher than any of its rivals. SpiceJet came in close second with 81.3%, while IndiGo had a load factor of 79.1%, in the fourth position. The beleaguered national flag carrier was able to keep a modest 78.6% load factor, ahead of its closest rival, Jet Airways and affiliate, JetKonnect, with 69.5% and 75.5%.
By: Pete Lee.