AI at third spot in operating flights after Jet, Kingfisher

NEW DELHI/MUMBAI: Air India has operated far less number of domestic and international flights last year than its private competitors, with official figures showing that its market share has dwindled to 17.1 per cent.

Air India currently stands at the fourth position in terms of market share, after its private competitors Jet Airways, Kingfisher and IndiGo.

These figures collated by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) came against the backdrop of allegations by unions that profitable routes of Air India have been given away to the benefit of private and foreign competitors. 

 

The routes on which the flights have either been withdrawn completely or temporarily were maintaining an average load factor of 80 per cent for Air India, and some even clocking 100 per cent, these sources claimed.

Soon after Air India opted out of these routes, private carriers started operating on them, they alleged.

Of these 32 routes from which the national carrier withdrew its services in over a year, Jet Airways was operating on 11 routes and Kingfisher on six, they said, adding IndiGo and SpiceJet had also launched services to these destinations.

Other airlines which are operating flights on these sectors include Emirates , Etihad, Air Arabia, Qatar Airways, Oman Air and Bahrain Air.

While routes like Cochin-Doha, Cochin-Muscat and Cochin- Bahrain are now being operated by Jet Airways, Bangalore-Pune -Goa-Bangalore and Chennai-Coimbatore are being operated by Kingfisher airlines, they said, adding, "All these sectors have been clocking a seat factor of 80 per cent or more".

They hoped that the Civil Aviation Ministry would take corrective measures when the summer schedule of the airlines comes up for approval early next month