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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 October 12, 2025
Air India has announced an expansion of its services to the United Kingdom for the Northern Winter 2025 schedule, introducing a fourth daily flight between Delhi and London Heathrow starting 26 October 2025. With this addition, the airline will now operate 28 weekly flights on the route, increasing capacity by 1,196 seats each way per week.
All flights on the Delhi–London route will be operated by Air India’s Airbus A350-900 and Boeing 787-9 aircraft, both featuring three-class configurations: Business, Premium Economy, and Economy. Travellers can look forward to complimentary WiFi connectivity and over 3,000 hours of inflight entertainment, including one of the largest Indian content libraries available onboard.
Air India remains the largest carrier between India and the UK, operating 61 weekly flights and offering 18,066 seats per week in one direction, translating to nearly 1.7 million seats annually. The airline currently connects Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, and Amritsar to London Heathrow, London Gatwick, and Birmingham.
“With this addition, we are further strengthening our UK operations, ensuring travellers have more flexibility and access to Air India’s upgraded widebody experience,” an Air India spokesperson said.
Premium travellers and eligible Maharaja Club members will continue to enjoy complimentary lounge access globally, including at London Heathrow’s Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge, Lufthansa Business Lounge, Singapore Airlines SilverKris Lounge, and United Club Lounge. Business Class and Premium Economy guests can also enjoy upgraded amenities, luxury bedding, and fine dining featuring Indian and international cuisine.
As part of its broader UK network optimisation, Air India is also restoring daily services on the Bengaluru–London Heathrow route and resuming thrice-weekly flights on Ahmedabad–London Gatwick, Amritsar–London Gatwick, and Delhi–Birmingham routes. The Mumbai–London Heathrow double daily service will remain unchanged.
This latest expansion underscores Air India’s commitment to enhancing connectivity and passenger experience, reflecting its ongoing transformation and growing international footprint.
Published on October 7, 2025
SpiceJet has announced the launch of daily non-stop flights connecting Ayodhya with Delhi, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, and Hyderabad starting October 8, 2025. The initiative coincides with the Diwali festive season, making travel to the Shri Ram Temple easier for devotees and tourists while reinforcing SpiceJet’s commitment to affordable and accessible travel.
The new services will be introduced in a phased manner to ensure seamless connectivity and reliable operations. SpiceJet also revealed that flights from Mumbai to Ayodhya are under consideration to meet the growing travel demand during the festive and winter seasons.
Debojo Maharshi, Chief Business Officer, SpiceJet, said, “There could be no better occasion than Diwali to visit Ayodhya, the birthplace of Lord Ram. We are delighted to make travel to the holy city easier and more convenient for devotees and tourists alike. Our new daily flights from key metros will ensure smooth and affordable access to Ayodhya during Diwali, allowing passengers to celebrate the festival in its most divine setting.”
The special Diwali flight services are expected to cater to increased passenger traffic, offering greater flexibility for travellers from major Indian cities. This network expansion strengthens SpiceJet’s domestic reach while supporting religious and seasonal tourism.
SpiceJet, an IATA-IOSA certified airline, operates a fleet of Boeing 737s and Q-400s and continues to be among India’s largest regional carriers under the UDAN scheme. The airline remains focused on expanding its network to meet cultural and regional travel needs across the country.
Qantas, Australia’s largest airline and national carrier, has announced the return of its non-stop flights between Delhi and Melbourne, set to begin on 27 October 2025. Operating three times a week until 28 March 2026, the service re-establishes a key route in the airline’s India–Australia network ahead of the busy travel and cricket season.
The reinstated connection offers Indian travellers direct access to Melbourne, one of Australia’s most popular cities known for its cultural diversity, culinary appeal, and proximity to iconic attractions such as the Great Ocean Road, Yarra Valley, and Phillip Island.
The timing of the relaunch coincides with major cricket fixtures, including the India–Australia T20 match scheduled for 31 October at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The first Qantas flight on this route will land in Melbourne on 28 October, giving fans convenient access to the event and the city’s vibrant summer sporting calendar, which also features the Ashes and Big Bash League tournaments.
Cam Wallace, CEO of Qantas International, said, “We’re delighted to bring back our non-stop connection between Delhi and Melbourne, just in time for the busy travel season. Flying direct significantly reduces travel time to Australia, and these new flights are perfectly suited for Indian fans attending cricket events in Melbourne, including the T20 series in late October, the Ashes and Big Bash League later in the year.”
He added, “To help support our growing presence in India, we have opened new offices in Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru to service our Indian customers, and promote our non-stop flights to Sydney and Melbourne.”
The flights will be operated by Airbus A330-200 aircraft, featuring 26 lie-flat Business Class suites and 204 Economy seats. Across three weekly return services, Qantas will offer over 1,300 seats per week between Delhi and Melbourne, adding more than 30,000 seats during the peak travel season.
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