Skift Take
The aggressive increase in the fleet size of airlines is accompanied by rapid expansion of operations. The Indian travel industry is rapidly growing, driven by the middle class.
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Indian airlines inducted 112 aircraft in 2023, according to the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation. The ministry added that with this, the total number of aircraft in the fleets of scheduled airline operators stood at 771 as on December 31, 2023.
Budget airline Indigo, which has the largest market share in the country, operates the biggest fleet with 342 aircraft as of 2023. This is followed by full-service carrier Air India with 124 aircraft, and Tata’s Vistara with 66 aircraft.
And then there are the airline orders. Air India, which rebranded itself last year post its acquisition by the Tata Group, placed an order for 470 aircraft in 2023. Indigo ordered 500 A320 aircraft last year. India’s newest airline Akasa Air also placed an order of 150 B737-8s this year as part of its expansion plans.
Expansion of Operations: The aggressive increase in the fleet size of airlines is accompanied by rapid expansion of operations. The Indian travel industry is growing rapidly, driven by the middle class, which is young, has funds to travel, and is willing to spend it instead of just saving it.
Furthermore, hybrid and remote working trends allow this population to avoid migrating to