In December, IndiGo, India’s leading airline, experienced a significant drop in its domestic market share, losing nearly 4 percentage points. This decline was primarily attributed to mass flight cancellations and a considerable reduction in daily departures. According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), IndiGo’s market share fell to 59.6% from 63.6% in November, marking its lowest point in two years.
Operational Disruptions Affecting IndiGo
The decline in market share is a direct result of operational challenges faced by IndiGo. The airline suffered from over 4,500 flight cancellations in the first week of December, leaving countless passengers stranded. These disruptions stemmed from new pilot rest rules and stricter regulations on night-time flying hours. Consequently, IndiGo reduced its scheduled domestic departures by approximately 10%.
Impact on Passenger Numbers
The operational disruptions led to a noticeable drop in passenger volumes. IndiGo carried approximately 8.52 million passengers in December, down 12% from 9.69 million in November. This represents an 11% annual decrease compared to December 2024, when the airline served 9.61 million passengers.
Air India Emerges as a Beneficiary
On the other side, Air India Group saw a significant increase in its market share during December, rising 3 percentage points to 29.6%. This marks Air India’s highest monthly market share over the past year. For 2025, the airline group achieved a 27% market share, reflecting a successful first year of combined operations following the Tata Group’s consolidation.
- IndiGo market share in December: 59.6%
- Air India market share in December: 29.6%
- Total domestic airlines passengers (2025): 1,669.46 lakh
Other Airlines’ Performance
Akasa Air, the third-largest airline by revenue, maintained a stable market share of 5.2% in December. This represents a slight increase from approximately 5.1% in 2024. Additionally, the overall passenger count for Indian domestic airlines in 2025 showed a 3.48% growth compared to the previous year, reflecting a slowdown from the 6.12% growth observed in 2024.
Looking Ahead
The trajectory for IndiGo remains uncertain as the airline continues to operate under reduced capacity as directed by the DGCA. Experts predict that the upcoming months will be critical in assessing whether IndiGo can reclaim lost market share or if Air India will continue to capitalize on these operational disruptions.
