The Indian aviation sector will be dotted by the trails of mega mergers, the tailwinds of expanding flights, fleets and airports in 2025. However, the dark cloud of supply chain woes is likely to persist for a longer time. New airline takeoffs will also be on the radar, as well as the future trajectory of revised pilot fatigue norms and efforts to reduce CO2 emissions.
In 2024 two airlines will be gone, another is in liquidation and aircraft orders are on the rise. The number of domestic air passengers per day has at least twice surpassed a record of 5 lakh. And airfare movements continue to cause concern. Not to mention the 999 hoax phone calls that airlines have received up until November 14, this year.
The aviation industry has seen its share of accidents, including a few crashes of trainer aircraft and a roof collapse at Terminal 1 of Delhi Airport that resulted in one death.
For the “fascinating”, Indian market, where domestic air traffic is expected to jump to 164-170 millions this fiscal year ending March 2025. The longer-term focus will be increasing wide-body planes, providing more direct flight connectivity overseas and making the country into a global aviation center.
Vinay dube, Akasa Air chief, said that the Indian aviation industry has excellent prospects. IATA’s Willie Walsh also believes there is a great opportunity for Indian airlines. There are 157 airports and more than 800 aircraft in the fleet of Indian carriers, including 60 wide-body aircraft.
Air India completed the Vistara merge on November 12. This will create an integrated airline, owned in part by Singapore Airlines. The airline will be flying more than 1,20,000 passengers a day and connecting over 90 destinations. The completion of this much-anticipated merger announced in November 2020 came six weeks after the integration between Air India Express and AIX Connect, formerly AirAsia India.
The two mergers created a full service carrier and a low cost carrier of scale for Tata Group. Tata Group is seeking to create a “world class global aviation company with a heart in India”.
Two flight codes, ‘UK’ for Vistara and ‘I5″ for AIX Connect, have left the Indian skies. Tata Group has decided to rename Air India’s flying return program as the ‘Maharaja Club’, putting an end to speculations regarding the future of the iconic ‘Maharaja’, once synonymous with Air India.
Air India announced on December 9 that it had placed an order for 100 additional Airbus aircraft. This includes 10 wide-body A350s, and 90 narrow-body A320s.
Air India placed orders with Airbus & Boeing for 470 aircraft last year. Air India has begun retrofitting its narrow body planes. Retrofitting legacy wide-body aircraft is expected to begin in mid-2025.
IndiGo, India’s largest airline, turned 18 years old this year. IndiGo has also added business class seats to select flights. While the carrier expects to take its A321 XLR first next year, it has already expanded its international connectivity by adding new routes and codeshare partners.
In order to prepare for a bigger play, the airline placed an order in May for 30 wide-body A350 900 aircraft. It has now a total of more than 1,000 outstanding orders. All in all supply chain disruptions impact aircraft deliveries.
Boeing problems and engine failures have also made things worse for airlines. Air India MD and Chief Executive Officer Campbell Wilson said on November 28 that the airline’s growth in air traffic will be primarily driven by domestic and short-haul operations.
Jet Airways’ fate, which was sealed by the Supreme Court on November 7, after the airline had been grounded for five years in April, was sealed. Flight operations were severely disrupted by hoax bomb threats to airlines in late 2024. Official data shows that 666 hoax threats were received by airlines in October alone.
In 2025, two new international airports, Noida and Navi Mumbai (both in Maharashtra) are expected to become operational. Both airports have completed their validation flights. They are set to ease congestion at Delhi airports and Mumbai airports. The Bharatiya Vayuyan Vidheyak-2024, a new law that replaces the 90 year old Aircraft Act was passed on December 5 by the Indian Parliament. The aim of the new law is to improve the ease in which businesses can be conducted in aviation and to encourage the manufacture of aircraft in India.
SpiceJet had to overcome financial and other challenges before raising INR 3,000 crore. Akasa Air is facing allegations of safety issues. The airline says the claims are unfounded and untrue. On January 18, the airline ordered 150 more Boeing 737 MAX planes.
Amongst other notable events, many carriers faced DGCA disciplinary action for various lapses. Regional airline FLY91 also took to the skies this March. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation and Bureau of Civil Aviation Security are both without a full time head. Airports Authority of India has a new chairman.
Campbell Wilson, Air India’s CEO, described the transformation of his company as “a Test match and not a T20”. Indian aviation is also on a long-term journey.
