IndiGo is only behind Qatar Airways, which grew slightly faster at 10.4 per cent in the same period, according to the latest data from Official Airline Guide (OAG) based on 20 top airlines in the world.
IndiGo Airlines is the world's second fastest-growing airline in terms of seat capacity, which went up by 10.1 per cent in 2024 over the previous year.
It is only behind Qatar Airways, which grew slightly faster at 10.4 per cent in the same period, according to the latest data from Official Airline Guide (OAG) based on 20 top airlines in the world.
That's not IndiGo's only achievement in the global aviation sweepstakes.
It has become the fastest-growing airline in the world in terms of flight frequency growth, which was up 9.7 per cent in 2024, with its nearest rival Qatar Airlines growing by 8.7 per cent followed by LCC Ryan Air (8.4 per cent) in the same period.
IndiGo was also fourth in the pecking order in terms of available seat kilometre growth, rising by 12 per cent, behind Chinese carriers Air China (22 per cent), China Eastern (21 per cent), and China South Airlines (13.6 per cent).
OAG points out that IndiGo holds one of the largest aircraft orders in the world with over 900 aircraft on order, and was the largest recipient of 58 new Airbus aircraft during 2024, although the airline had around 80 aircraft, which were inactive with MRO (maintenance, repair, and overhaul) and supply chain issues.
In terms of capacity, 88.3 per cent was deployed in the domestic skies and the rest were in the international arena.
While IndiGo's domestic capacity grew by 9.6 per cent in 2024, its international capacity increased by 18.8 per cent -- the top markets being the UAE (capacity grew 14.9 cent), Saudi Arabia (16. 1 per cent), and Thailand (47.7 per cent).
Qatar was the only market where its capacity dropped marginally. According to OAG, IndiGo saw its average domestic fare in 2024 come down to $92 compared to $101 in 2023.
In the international space, the fare went up from $267 in 2023 to $273 in 2024.
The airline's strong hold in capacity in India's key airports can be seen from the fact that it has a 40 per cent share of total seat capacity in Delhi airport (in terms of seats, it is the largest market), 43 per cent in Mumbai, 53 per cent in Bengaluru, 65 per cent in Hyderabad, and 60 per cent in Chennai.
In the domestic skies, IndiGo's top five routes are Delhi-Mumbai, Delhi-Bengaluru, Bengaluru-Mumbai, Delhi-Hyderabad, and Delhi-Kolkata.
In the international arena, its top routes include Dubai-Mumbai, Hyderabad-Doha, Singapore-Chennai, and Delhi-Kathmandu.
Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff.com
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