India's domestic air traffic fell 8.3% in Sep as demand remained under pressure

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IATA said global Revenue Passenger Kilometers (RPK) fell 0.5% year-on-year in September, improving on August’s 0.8% drop

By PTI

Updated - October 31, 2026 at 09:35 AM. | New Delhi

India's domestic air traffic dropped 8.3 per cent on an annual basis in September, recording the weakest performance among the major domestic markets, according to global airlines' grouping IATA.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) on Friday said that globally, the industry-wide Revenue Passenger Kilometers (RPK) declined 0.5 per cent year-on-year (y-o-y) in September. The reading is slightly better than the 0.8 per cent drop registered in August.

Revenue Passenger Kilometres (RPK) is an indicator of passenger volumes.

About the Indian market's performance in September, IATA said demand remained under pressure against a backdrop of higher fuel prices and softer macroeconomic conditions.

"Capacity contracted by 7.9 per cent and the PLF edged down by 0.3 percentage points to 81 per cent," it said in the air passenger market analysis for September.

PLF refers to the Passenger Load Factor.

The grouping noted that domestic traffic fell by 2.2 per cent year-on-year, with declines in India, the US and Japan outweighing growth in Australia, China and Brazil.

"India recorded the weakest performance among the major domestic markets, with traffic falling by 8.3 per cent y-o-y, its steepest decline so far in 2026," it said.

IATA's Senior Vice President Sustainability and Chief Economist Marie Owens Thomsen said global scheduled seat capacity is expected to remain above 2025 levels in October and November, but the rates of growth remain weak and highly unbalanced between regions.

The grouping represents over 370 airlines globally, including Indian carriers.

Published on October 31, 2026

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