18% increase in Indian domestic flights this summer
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Indian airlines are planning to operate 14,869 weekly domestic departures during the 2016 summer season – an 18.6% increase from the 12,533 departures in summer 2015.
This marks the highest increase in weekly departures in recent times, according to aviation officials.
The Hindu reports that the increase in domestic flight operations is being led by newcomers Vistara and AirAsia India. Vistara plans to offer 334 weekly departures for the 2016 summer schedule, a 90% rise from summer 2015, while AirAsia India is planning a 67% increase in its operations, with 280 weekly departures.
However, Mysuru, Bhavnagar, Porbandar and Nanded airports will not benefit from the increase in domestic flights, with airlines halting their operations to these cities. With these cessations, the number of Indian airports handling commercial flights declines from 81 to 77.
A senior Indian aviation official told the newspaper that airlines are free to operate to or withdraw from any airport if the flights are not commercially viable, as long as they comply with the Route Dispersal Guidelines (RDG).
Air India and Air Costa are the only two domestic airlines which will see a decline in weekly departures for summer 2016.
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