AI Domestic Loses Spot To IndiGo – Another Indication Of Indian Domestic Passengers’ Preference For LCC?

An Indian civil aviation sector watcher may not find it very striking to know that Air India Domestic has lost its 3rd position in terms of domestic market share (the 1st and 2nd positions are held by Jet Airways and Kingfisher respectively).

But it is certainly at least a bit interesting to note that AI Domestic has lost its 3rd position to IndiGo, an LCC (low-cost carrier), and India’s youngest LCC for that matter.

IndiGo had been breathing on AI Domestic’s neck for quite some time, and finally overtook the latter in November 2010.

For some of us it may appear to be just an insipid piece of market data. However, as an ordinary watcher of the Indian civil aviation sector I feel that it is yet another implication that Indian domestic passengers are developing more preference for LCCs. We must not forget that both Jet Airways and Kingfisher have LCCs (JetLite, Jet Konnect, Kingfisher Red). And there are ample reasons to believe that their LCC services have contributed a lot in helping these airlines to occupy the top two market positions.

I feel Air India should introduce a domestic service of its international LCC, AI Express, at the earliest.