Grounded flights cast shadow over holiday season: What lies ahead

As eager Indian travellers prepare to take the wing for the year-end holidays, an unsettling gloom looms in the form of flight cancellations and delays, a bitter reality that has impacted the nation's aviation landscape in recent months.

The turbulence started when Go First, facing financial trouble, stopped flying and sought legal help due to losses in May 2023. The airline blamed Pratt and Whitney for delaying engine deliveries and grounding half of its fleet. Its fate seems uncertain, resembling the troubles of Jet Airways in the past.

At the heart of the issue is a disrupted supply chain, causing over 160 planes to be grounded, a number expected to rise to 200 by FY24-end, as per a Centre for Aviation (CAPA) report. Looking ahead to March 2024, the agency also predicts a fleet of almost 790 aircraft, of which only 588 may be operational.

This grounding has also affected the on-time performance of airlines, leading to a drop, according to sources in the Ministry of Civil Aviation. This, in turn, impacts the travel schedules of consumers, who bear the brunt of operational delays and soaring airfares.  

As per official data, the on-time performance (as on December 3) of Akasa Air is at 84.1 per cent,  while Air India is at only 44.2 per cent, Indigo at 73.5 per cent, Vistara at 69.5 per cent and SpiceJet at 54.4 per cent.

Aviation analyst Mark Martin paints a grim picture, describing the sector's current state as a "code red" situation. "We have close to 200 aircraft grounded, and now there are few options for airlines serving some sectors. There is an urgent need for the government to flex its muscles and take action against engine makers who are not helping us in due course of time. With a greater number of flights being grounded, the holiday season has clearly been impacted this year,” he added.

Martin also said that that the ministry should focus on holding emergency meetings right now and solve supply chain issues, before the situation gets worse.

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