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Key Points

The Indian aviation sector experienced 5,706 flight cancellations in the first half of 2025, affecting major carriers like Air India and IndiGo. Despite these disruptions, domestic air travel demonstrated remarkable resilience, growing by 7.34% compared to the previous year. The cancellations, representing just 1% of total departures, were attributed to regulatory and geopolitical issues. The government remains optimistic about the sector's growth potential, with airlines continuing to expand their international and domestic routes.

Key Points: 5,700 Flights Cancelled Amid India's Air Travel Growth Surge

  • Air India Group cancelled 1,468 flights out of 1,61,204 departures
  • IndiGo reported highest cancellations at 3,274 flights
  • Cancellations represent around 1% of total departures
  • Domestic air travel continued growing despite challenges
2 min read

Over 5,700 flights cancelled in first half of 2025: Govt

Govt reveals flight cancellations by major Indian airlines in first half of 2025, highlighting sector challenges and passenger resilience

"Passengers carried by domestic airlines during January-June 2025 registered a growth of 7.34 per cent - Murlidhar Mohol, Minister of State for Civil Aviation"

New Delhi, Aug 18

Indian airlines cancelled as many as 5,706 flights between January and June this year (H1 2025) because of regulatory and geopolitical issues, the Parliament was informed on Monday.

The cancellations accounted for around 1 per cent of the total 5,72,079 departures during the same period, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.

The data covered six carriers -- Air India, Air India Express, IndiGo, Akasa Air, SpiceJet and Alliance Air.

Specifically, the Air India Group, including Air India Express, cancelled 1,468 flights during the period, out of a total of 1,61,204 departures, the data showed.

Akasa Air cancelled 64 flights in the first half of 2025, while IndiGo reported 3,274 cancellations during the same period.

SpiceJet cancelled 401 flights between January and June, the minister said in his written reply. Alliance Air also cancelled 499 flights during the period.

Mohol explained that airlines incur extra costs when flights are delayed or cancelled, including fuel charges, crew overtime, maintenance, airport fees and rebooking expenses.

In addition, airlines are required to refund or compensate passengers in such cases.

Despite the cancellations, domestic air travel continued to grow. The number of passengers carried by Indian airlines rose by 7.34 per cent in January-June 2025 compared with the same period previous year, the minister noted.

"Further, airlines are required to provide refunds or compensation to passengers for cancellations or significant delays. Passengers carried by domestic airlines during January-June 2025 registered a growth of 7.34 per cent as compared to the corresponding period of the previous year," he added.

In a separate reply, Mohol said Air India had launched 24 new international routes since July 2023, but four of them were later suspended for commercial reasons.

Among these, the Goa-London Gatwick service, which was temporarily halted, is expected to resume in the Winter 2025 schedule.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
Interesting that despite cancellations, passenger numbers are growing. Shows how important air travel has become for Indians. But 1% cancellation rate seems manageable compared to global standards.
A
Ananya R
The government should impose stricter penalties on airlines for cancellations. Many middle-class families save for months to afford air tickets, only to face last-minute hassles. At least refunds are mandatory now 👍
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Vikram M
IndiGo's cancellation numbers are shocking! 3274 flights in 6 months? That's nearly 18 flights cancelled daily. They need to get their act together. Meanwhile, Akasa seems to be doing much better with only 64 cancellations.
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Priya S
Good to see Air India expanding international routes! The Goa-London route will be great for tourism. But they must ensure reliability - international travelers plan months in advance.
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Karthik V
The aviation sector is growing but still facing teething issues. Maybe we need more competition to improve services. The 7.34% passenger growth shows the potential - hope infrastructure keeps pace!
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Michael C
As a frequent traveler, I've noticed cancellations are often due to weather or ATC issues beyond airlines' control. The minister should clarify what percentage were truly the airlines' fault before we blame them.

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