Overview

• IndiGo will add about 730 flights across 42 sectors, Air India and Air India Express together will add roughly 486 across 20, and SpiceJet plans around 546 across 38, totaling more than 1,700 additional services.
• The aviation regulator said it will maintain rigorous oversight of both fares and capacity through the festive travel period to safeguard passengers’ interests.
• Officials reiterated that fares are market-driven, with capacity injections used to moderate extreme surges during peak holiday demand.
• Rising Air Turbine Fuel prices, which make up more than half of airlines’ operating costs, are exerting upward pressure on ticket prices this season.
• DGCA highlighted ongoing safety oversight, noting 171 regulatory audits since 2020 and special audits after an Air India crash, as pilots urged checks of all Boeing 787 electrical systems following a Ram Air Turbine deployment on an Air India flight to Birmingham.