India’s domestic aviation sector witnessed a slowdown in April 2026, with passenger traffic declining amid rising operational costs and relatively softer travel demand.

According to data released by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), domestic airlines carried more than 1.38 crore passengers during April, compared to 1.44 crore passengers in March. This represents a month-on-month decline of 4.2%. On a year-on-year basis, traffic was also down by 3.47% compared to the more than 1.43 crore passengers carried in April last year.

DGCA stated that domestic airlines carried 575.49 lakh passengers during the January–April 2026 period, compared to 575.13 lakh passengers during the corresponding period of the previous year, reflecting a marginal annual growth of 0.06%.

The aviation sector continued to face multiple challenges during the month, including higher fuel prices, increased operating costs, and slower demand growth. Several airlines also adjusted their networks and schedules in response to the evolving market conditions.

IndiGo further strengthened its position as the country's largest airline, increasing its market share to 65% in April from 63.3% in March. Meanwhile, the Air India Group's market share declined to 24.7% from 26.2% during the same period.

Akasa Air continued to gain ground, with its market share rising to 5.8% in April from 5.4% in March. SpiceJet's share declined from 3.8% to 3.4%, while state-owned Alliance Air saw its market share fall from 0.6% to 0.3%.

On the operational front, IndiGo recorded the highest On-Time Performance (OTP) among major domestic carriers at 88.5%. Air India Group followed with 82.4%, while Akasa Air achieved 81.4%. Alliance Air recorded an OTP of 71.2%, and SpiceJet reported 31.2%.

The OTP data was calculated across ten major airports, including Bengaluru, Delhi, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Cochin, Guwahati, and Lucknow.

DGCA data also highlighted passenger service disruptions during the month. A total of 3,266 passenger-related complaints were received by scheduled domestic airlines in April, translating to 2.36 complaints per 10,000 passengers carried.

Flight delays continued to impact travellers, with around 1.12% of flights delayed by more than two hours. More than 1.35 lakh passengers were affected by delays, prompting airlines to spend over ₹2.41 crore on passenger facilitation measures.

Flight cancellations affected 77,065 passengers during the month, with airlines paying ₹2.04 crore towards compensation and passenger facilities. Additionally, 641 passengers were denied boarding, resulting in compensation and facilities amounting to ₹57.65 lakh.

Despite the temporary decline in traffic, the Indian aviation sector continues to see strong competition among carriers as airlines balance network expansion, operational efficiency, and evolving passenger demand.

Meghalaya is strengthening its tourism ecosystem through a major expansion of its homestay network, aiming to increase accommodation capacity while creating sustainable livelihood opportunities for local communities. Building on the success of its Homestay Scheme launched in 2023, the state now plans to establish 3,000 new homestays and generate 15,000 jobs by 2028.

The initiative places local families at the heart of Meghalaya’s tourism development strategy and supports preparations for the National Games scheduled to be hosted in the state in 2027. With tourism emerging as a key contributor to economic growth, the government is promoting community-led tourism as a long-term model for inclusive development.

Tourist arrivals in Meghalaya have witnessed steady growth over the years, rising from around 1.2 million visitors in 2018 to more than 1.6 million today. The state’s growing popularity has also received national attention, with Shillong being recognised as India’s most-searched travel destination in Skyscanner’s 2025 report. Meghalaya has further set an ambitious target of attracting 2.1 million visitors annually by 2028.

The state’s tourism appeal received another boost when NITI Aayog, in its report Divya Bharat: A Window to the Soul of India, identified Meghalaya as one of the country’s few year-round tourism destinations. The report highlighted attractions such as living root bridges, extensive cave systems, and rich indigenous cultural heritage that continue to draw visitors throughout the year.

To address the growing demand for accommodation and ensure tourism benefits reach local communities, the Government of Meghalaya introduced the Meghalaya Tourism Homestay Scheme in convergence with the Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP). Under the scheme, eligible projects can receive financial assistance covering up to 70 per cent of project costs, with support available for projects valued up to INR 1 million.

The programme has already delivered encouraging results. Around 900 applications have been sanctioned, and more than 490 homestays are currently operational across the state. These homestays have collectively added nearly 1,000 rooms and created approximately 1,500 livelihood opportunities.

Building on this success, the government launched the Chief Minister’s Meghalaya Homestay Mission in 2025. The mission aims to add 3,000 more homestays by 2028 while generating 15,000 direct and indirect employment opportunities. New homestay owners can avail subsidies of up to INR 700,000, while existing operators are eligible for financial support of up to INR 200,000 for upgrading their properties.

The initiative has already transformed the lives of several beneficiaries. Entrepreneurs such as Daminot Kharshandi from Ri Bhoi district and Donny Esmond Rapsang from Umroi have successfully established and expanded tourism ventures through the scheme, creating jobs within their communities and generating stable income for their families.

As Meghalaya continues to strengthen its tourism infrastructure, the homestay model is emerging as a powerful tool for promoting sustainable tourism, empowering local communities, and ensuring that the benefits of the sector are shared widely across the state.

Akasa Air has announced special flight services to Ahmedabad from Bengaluru and Navi Mumbai to accommodate the surge in travel demand ahead of the cricket final scheduled to take place in Ahmedabad.

The airline will operate the additional services on 31 May and 1 June 2026, complementing its existing network and offering cricket fans more convenient travel options to attend the highly anticipated match.

The special flights have been introduced to support passengers looking to travel to Ahmedabad shortly before the event and return soon after. The additional capacity reflects the growing demand for event-driven travel in India, particularly around major sporting occasions.

Under the schedule, flight QP 6892 will operate from Bengaluru to Ahmedabad on 31 May, departing at 09:30 hrs and arriving at 11:50 hrs. On the same day, flight QP 6882 will operate from Navi Mumbai to Ahmedabad, departing at 14:45 hrs and arriving at 16:15 hrs.

For return travel, flight QP 6885 will depart Ahmedabad for Navi Mumbai at 03:10 hrs on 1 June and arrive at 04:45 hrs. Flight QP 6887 will operate from Ahmedabad to Bengaluru on 1 June, departing at 04:10 hrs and arriving at 06:35 hrs.

In addition to the special flights, passengers flying with Akasa Air will be able to access SkyScore, the airline’s inflight service that allows guests to follow live match scores during their journey. The airline will also activate SkyLights, its Boeing Sky Interior-powered cabin lighting feature, with tricolour-themed lighting on selected flights associated with the event.

Akasa Air currently operates scheduled flights to Ahmedabad from nine domestic and international destinations. Through these additional services, the airline aims to strengthen connectivity to the city while providing greater flexibility and convenience for travellers during a period of heightened demand.