04 Jul 2025
#1 July 2025: India Aviation Newsletter
Air India Scales Up Kathmandu, Colombo, Bangkok Routes to Meet Surging Demand
Air India announced it has added more flights to Bangkok, Colombo, and Kathmandu to meet growing passenger demand from its Delhi and Mumbai hubs, with the addition of over 7,000 seats effective from 7 July. The additional flights to Kathmandu and Bangkok will be operated by Air India’s best narrowbody aircraft in a three-class cabin configuration, including Premium Economy Class, offering a premium full-service flying experience to travellers on the routes.
FLY91 Adds Solapur to Its Growing Network
FLY91 announced a new route between Goa and Solapur, further strengthening its commitment to enhancing last-mile air connectivity across underserved regions in India. With this addition, FLY91 now connects eight destinations across the country, including four in Maharashtra—Pune, Jalgaon, Sindhudurg, and now Solapur.
FLY91 CEO & MD Manoj Chacko stated:
“The launch of the Goa–Solapur route will highlight FLY91’s focus on improving connectivity to traditionally underserved destinations. Solapur is not only a key centre of industry but also a critical node in Maharashtra’s pilgrimage circuit. Our flights will make it easier for pilgrims, as well as business and leisure travellers alike, to move between these regions comfortably.”
IndiGo Connects Hindon to Goa
IndiGo announced direct flights between Hindon (Ghaziabad) and Goa, starting 20 July, operating six times weekly. The new route offers a convenient and time-saving travel option for residents of East and Central Delhi, Noida, and Ghaziabad by bringing Goa’s iconic beaches closer than ever. The flexible schedule is designed to cater to the increasing demand during the peak travel season, offering more choice and comfort to travellers. IndiGo operates over 2,200 daily flights, connecting 90+ domestic and 40+ international destinations. The airline inducted 58 aircraft in 2024 and welcomed over 118 million customers in FY25.
SpiceJet Resumes Scheduled Flights to Srinagar
SpiceJet announced the resumption of scheduled flight operations to Srinagar, effective 13 May, along with the restart of Haj 2025 flights. SpiceJet is facilitating the travel of approximately 15,500 Haj pilgrims this year, reaffirming its role as a key partner in the sacred pilgrimage using Airbus A340-300 aircraft.
Acumen’s Take
On Air India’s Network Ramp-Up:
This significant capacity increase underscores Air India’s confidence in pent-up demand for leisure and VFR (visiting friends and relatives) traffic across South and Southeast Asia. The deployment of premium narrowbody configurations reflects an emerging strategy to differentiate on service and product as Air India accelerates its transformation.
On FLY91’s Expansion to Solapur:
FLY91 continues to execute a clear niche strategy targeting tier 2 and 3 destinations neglected by major carriers. The Solapur launch reinforces its ambition to become the regional connectivity backbone under UDAN while positioning itself for network stickiness among pilgrims and SMEs.
On IndiGo’s Hindon–Goa Link:
This move highlights IndiGo’s focus on tapping metro-adjacent airports to unlock new traffic pools. Hindon’s connectivity to Goa leverages infrastructure investments around NCR and aligns with IndiGo’s disciplined domestic growth blueprint.
On SpiceJet’s Srinagar Resumption and Haj Charter Ops:
While the resumption of scheduled Srinagar flights strengthens domestic connectivity to Jammu & Kashmir, the Haj operations demonstrate SpiceJet’s commitment to religious charters—an important segment that sustains yield diversification despite broader financial pressures.
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