Indian carriers soar on int'l routes but foreign rivals lead

Indian airlines are ramping up their international presence by adding more direct flights.

- SURAJEET DAS GUPTA

Despite these efforts, foreign carriers continue to dominate on many routes outside of West Asia, particularly to Europe and Southeast Asia.

Take AirAsia, for instance. Although it struggled to establish itself in the domestic market and sold its stake in AirAsia India to the Tatas, it remains influential in markets like Malaysia and Thailand.

According to Cirium data, AirAsia leads the India-Malaysia route with 46 per cent of the overall seat capacity share for September 2024. Indian carriers, in comparison, hold less than 5 per cent of the capacity on this route.

AirAsia Thailand is also making its mark. It is the third-largest airline on the India-Thailand route, with a 17 per cent seat capacity share in September. Thai Airways remains at the top with a 36 per cent share, followed by IndiGo.