Indian Carriers Inducted 112 Aircraft in 2023: India Report

09.02.2024 - 14:52 / skift.com / Ihg / Air India / Akasa Air / Bulbul Dhawan

Indian airlines inducted 112 aircraft in 2023, according to the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation. The ministry added that with this, the total number of aircraft in the fleets of scheduled airline operators stood at 771 as on December 31, 2023.

Budget airline Indigo, which has the largest market share in the country, operates the biggest fleet with 342 aircraft as of 2023. This is followed by full-service carrier Air India with 124 aircraft, and Tata’s Vistara with 66 aircraft.

And then there are the airline orders. Air India, which rebranded itself last year post its acquisition by the Tata Group, placed an order for 470 aircraft in 2023. Indigo ordered 500 A320 aircraft last year. India’s newest airline Akasa Air also placed an order of 150 B737-8s this year as part of its expansion plans. 

Expansion of Operations: The aggressive increase in the fleet size of airlines is accompanied by rapid expansion of operations. The Indian travel industry is growing rapidly, driven by the middle class, which is young, has funds to travel, and is willing to spend it instead of just saving it. 

Furthermore, hybrid and remote working trends allow this population to avoid migrating to metros. Airlines are not only rushing to connect to more tourist destinations, but are also expanding their operations to smaller towns, which are now home to the earning youth that is willing to spend for travel. 

Increasing Number of Women Pilots: While the airlines are undertaking rapid expansion driven by the travel boom in India, the country has also noticed a significant uptick in the enrollment of female pilots.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation reported that there was a 22% increase in the number of commercial licenses issued to women pilots in 2023. Currently, women pilots account for about 14% of the total flight crew strength employed by various scheduled and non-scheduled operators. 

IHG Hotels and Resorts is set to establish a Holiday Inn in Guwahati, and the 150-key hotel is slated to open in January 2028. Calling Guwahati, one of the fastest-growing cities in the northeastern part of the country, Sudeep Jain, managing director, South West Asia, IHG Hotels & Resorts, said, the hotel group is keen to leverage the growing demand for trade, commerce and tourism from the Assamese capital.

With this, IHG’s pipeline in India over the next three to five years has reached 45 hotels, equaling the number of hotels that IHG currently operates in the country. This is also in line with the Indian government’s initiatives to boost the tourism potential of Northeast India, a region whose potential has remained relatively untapped so far.

Mahindra Holidays & Resorts India Ltd has reported its highest-ever quarterly performance at a