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By Nishang Narayan
Published on August 11, 2025
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has ranked India as the fifth-largest aviation market in 2024, handling 241 million passengers, surpassing Japan’s 205 million. The data comes from IATA’s latest World Air Transport Statistics (WATS) report, which covers both international and domestic passenger movements.
India recorded an 11.1% increase from 211 million passengers in 2023, driven by strong domestic demand. The Mumbai–Delhi route emerged as the seventh busiest airport pair in the world, carrying 5.9 million passengers in 2024.
Globally, the United States retained the top spot with 876 million passengers (+5.2%), followed by China at 741 million (+18.7%), the United Kingdom at 261 million, and Spain also at 241 million.
IATA reported that Asia Pacific dominated the list of the world’s busiest airport pairs, led by Jeju–Seoul (CJU–GMP) with 13.2 million passengers. The only non-Asia Pacific route in the top 10 was Jeddah–Riyadh (JED–RUH).
Premium air travel also saw strong growth in 2024. International business and first-class travel rose 11.8%, slightly outpacing the 11.5% growth in economy travel. Asia Pacific recorded the highest growth in premium travel at 22.8%, with 21 million passengers, though economy class still expanded faster in the region. Europe remained the largest market for premium travel at 39.3 million passengers, while the Middle East had the highest premium share at 14.7% of all international travellers.
The report also highlighted aircraft utilisation trends. The Boeing 737 was the most widely used aircraft, operating 10 million flights with 2.4 trillion Available Seat Kilometres (ASKs), followed by the Airbus A320 with 7.9 million flights (1.7 trillion ASKs) and the Airbus A321 with 3.4 million flights (1.1 trillion ASKs).
IATA’s findings reflect India’s rapid ascent in global aviation, driven by expanding connectivity, a growing middle class, and increased fleet capacity.
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By Manu Vardhan Kannan
Published on May 19, 2026
FLY91 has announced an additional weekday daily flight between Pune and Goa for May 2026 to meet increased passenger demand during the summer holiday season. The temporary addition comes as travel activity continues to rise due to vacations, family trips and seasonal travel movement.
The airline already operates daily weekday services on the Pune-Goa route, while weekend operations currently run twice daily. The newly introduced weekday frequency is expected to provide travellers with more options and greater convenience during one of the busiest travel periods of the year.
According to the airline, the decision was taken in response to increased movement from holidaymakers, students, families and business travellers. The Pune-Goa route has witnessed steady demand throughout the summer season, making it an important sector within the airline’s growing network.
By adding another service, FLY91 aims to improve schedule flexibility while increasing seat availability between the two destinations. The move is also expected to ease travel during the peak vacation period and support smoother passenger movement.
Pune continues to remain one of western India’s key educational and commercial centres, while Goa attracts a significant number of domestic travellers during the summer months. The additional service is expected to further strengthen connectivity between the two cities and support increasing regional travel demand.
FLY91 said the new flight also aligns with its broader objective of strengthening dependable and safe regional connectivity across underserved and high-demand sectors in India.
The airline currently operates flights across 12 destinations including Goa (GOX), Pune, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Solapur, Jalgaon, Sindhudurg, Kochi, Agatti, Rajahmundry, Vijayawada and Hubballi.
Published on May 17, 2026
The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has announced a special religious journey to Nepal under its Bharat Gaurav scheme, giving travellers and pilgrims from Madhya Pradesh and nearby regions an opportunity to explore important spiritual and tourist destinations in the neighbouring country.
The special 'Pashupatinath Nepal Darshan Yatra' will begin from Indore on June 12 aboard a Deluxe AC tourist train. According to IRCTC, this is the first Bharat Gaurav tourist train service designed for passengers travelling beyond India’s borders, making it a significant addition to its tourism offerings.
The journey will run for nine nights and 10 days, covering some of Nepal’s well-known religious and tourist attractions. The itinerary includes visits to Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu, Pokhara, Chitwan National Park, and Manakamana Temple. As part of the experience, travellers will also get access to a ropeway ride at Manakamana Temple and a Jeep Safari at Chitwan, arranged by IRCTC.
Passengers can board the train from multiple stations across Madhya Pradesh including Indore, Ujjain, Shujalpur, Sehore, Rani Kamalapati (Bhopal), Itarsi, Narsinghpur, Jabalpur, Katni, and Satna.
Rahul Holkar, Executive Tourism (Indore), said: "Dining facilities will be available for passengers onboard, with two restaurant coaches arranged for this purpose."
He also shared that the train will have 14 coaches and offer three accommodation categories: First AC, Second AC, and Third AC. The package further includes five-night accommodation in three-star hotels, along with local sightseeing through AC buses.
IRCTC has introduced different fare structures based on the selected category. The package covers rail travel, hotel stays, meals onboard and during the journey, local transportation, sightseeing, travel insurance, tour escorts, security arrangements and housekeeping services.
Officials also clarified that the Nepal Darshan Yatra is a guided tourist journey and should be viewed as a specially curated travel experience rather than a regular international tour package. Bookings for the Bharat Gaurav Nepal Yatra can be made through IRCTC’s official website and authorised offices.
Published on May 16, 2026
Air India has commenced commercial operations to Ludhiana’s newly operational Halwara airport, becoming the first airline to launch services at the airport. The new route strengthens connectivity between Ludhiana and Delhi while also opening access to Air India’s wider international network.
The inaugural flight from Delhi landed at Halwara airport at 0703 Hrs, while the return service departed from Ludhiana at 0800 Hrs. Air India will now operate two daily flights on the Delhi–Ludhiana route using its A320 family aircraft.
The newly launched services have been scheduled to provide passengers with smoother onward connections through Delhi to Air India’s international destinations. Travellers flying from Ludhiana can conveniently connect to cities including London, Paris, Milan, Rome, and Birmingham through a single ticket and a unified baggage allowance system with through check-in facilities.
Passengers will also benefit from same-terminal transfers at Delhi airport, allowing easier movement between domestic and international flights.
The flight schedule for the Delhi–Ludhiana route includes:
With the launch of operations at Halwara airport, Air India continues to expand its domestic network while strengthening connectivity between regional cities and international destinations.
Bookings for Air India’s Ludhiana flights are now open across all channels, including the airline’s website, mobile app, and travel partners worldwide.
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