India’s Airlines Are Flying Fewer Seats Just as Diwali Month Begins

Indian airlines have scheduled 22,306 weekly domestic flights for November 2026, down 606 from the 22,912 operated in October 2025, a 2.6 percent drop, according to a Business Standard analysis published on November 1. The reduction lands in Diwali month, normally one of the busiest travel stretches in the country.

Air India made the largest cut by far, trimming 543 weekly flights, or 14.9 percent, from 3,644 to 3,101. IndiGo, the market leader, cut 375 flights (2.7 percent) to 13,697, while Air India Express dropped 78 to 2,420 and SpiceJet cut 37 to 679. Business Standard attributes the pullback to higher fares and softer demand, with airfares pushed up by fuel costs and rupee depreciation.

Some routes took bigger hits. Delhi to Hyderabad fell from 408 to 322 weekly flights, and Hyderabad to Tirupati lost 86 weekly flights. Patna is scheduled for 302 weekly departures this month against 377 a year earlier, a drop of nearly 20 percent. Travelers booking Diwali trips on secondary routes may find fewer options and less fare competition than they expect.

IndiGo’s passenger load factor slipped to 80.3 percent in the July to September quarter from 82.5 percent a year earlier. CEO Willie Walsh said on October 29 that capacity cuts in the December quarter would be concentrated on international routes, and that the airline would stay agile in managing capacity. The domestic schedule can still change, so travelers should recheck flight times before they head to the airport.

Sources: Business Standard