India's duopoly in the domestic skies -- where IndiGo and Air India collectively control over 90 per cent of the market -- is highly skewed, leaving very little room for new players
Passengers may think they are just booking a ticket, but airlines' clever design tricks are quietly picking their pockets.
Not a single retail outlet ran dry. Every household that wanted a cylinder got one. India faced neither a 1991 moment nor a 2013 one. Macroeconomic stability held. This was not an accident, and it was not luck alone. It was the work of a government that chose to act as it had during the pandemic -- deliberately and gradually, building one measure upon another rather than reaching for a single dramatic lever, explains V Anantha Nageswaran, chief economic advisor to the Government of India.
Air India has deferred annual salary increments for its staff by at least one quarter and urged a "relentless focus on costs" due to external headwinds like the closure of Pakistan airspace, West Asia conflict, rupee depreciation, and a significant surge in aviation turbine fuel prices, though the airline has assured there will be no layoffs.
A potential US-Iran peace deal, expected to be signed on June 19, is anticipated to ease geopolitical stress and benefit various sectors, particularly in India, with analysts suggesting investors await finer details before making significant moves.
High costs, visa hurdles, and logistics for the World Cup are deterring fans, leading to a disappointing boost for US hotels, airlines, and the travel industry.
Airfares to Southeast Asia have surged 25 to 30 per cent, driven by high demand and limited airline seat capacity.
Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said the reduction in airport charges is aimed at containing airfare increases and supporting both airlines and passengers.
Indian carriers have cancelled over 10,000 flights since the onset of the West Asia conflict, as escalating tensions and airspace restrictions disrupted international operations, a senior government official said.
Some places are etched into our memories - and even when they are replaced by grander, gleaming structures, they can never be replaced or rebuilt. We try to hold on to them as hard as we can.
IndiGo, Air India, and SpiceJet are opposing the government's directive to offer 60% of seats for free selection, arguing it will lead to increased airfares to compensate for lost revenue.
The practice of charging for ancillary services on domestic flights is likely to grow as competition soars.
Despite a disappointing Q4 FY26 performance, many analysts remain bullish on Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) due to its substantial order book and pipeline. However, persistent supply chain issues, particularly for jet engines, and execution challenges are key factors that could impact its future stock performance and revenue growth.
Following through announcements with enforcement of measures is key, as a run through recent Indian economic history shows, points out A K Bhattacharya.
'IndiGo is fooling the country and the government has succumbed to it.'
The Strait of Hormuz crisis is impacting lifestyles worldwide, from reduced gold purchases in India to energy conservation in Europe and Japan, as governments urge citizens to adapt to the global energy shock.
IndiGo operator InterGlobe Aviation had a mildly encouraging third quarter in financial year 2026 (Q3FY26).
Moody's Ratings has downgraded India's growth forecast for financial year 2026-27 (FY27) to 6 per cent from 6.8 per cent, attributing the revision to weaker consumption and industrial activity, elevated energy prices, and rising input costs stemming from the West Asia conflict.
InterGlobe Aviation (IndiGo) is experiencing significant financial pressure, with its stock falling 18 per cent since the start of the Iran war, due to rising Brent crude prices, a weakening rupee, and disruptions to its West Asia and European flight networks caused by geopolitical tensions.
'When we start describing somebody as an enemy that is the start of politics and emotion after which no business can take place.' 'We need to get out of this, allow Indian businessmen to do business with China.'
As temperatures soar, booking queries have surged by double digits -- going up to 125 per cent -- for destinations like Kashmir, Shillong, Gangtok, Munnar, Leh, Rishikesh, Guwahati, Imphal, Kodaikanal and the Andamans.
A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta termed the exorbitant rise of airfares by airlines as "exploitation" and asked the Centre and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to file their replies to a PIL seeking binding regulatory guidelines to control the unpredictable fluctuations in airfare and ancillary charges imposed by private airlines in India.
The question is whether the clocks allow enough time for two deeply mistrustful sides to get there, and whether the surface calm holds long enough for the paddling to produce something before the ceasefire ends on April 22, notes Prem Panicker in his must read blog on the Iran War.
Karex, the Malaysian company that makes roughly one in five of the world's condoms -- about five billion a year, supplying Durex and Trojan among others -- announced this week that it is raising prices by up to 30 percent. The reason is the Strait of Hormuz.
Travel is now the dominant spending category for India's affluent consumers, who are prioritising experiences and luxury goods over retail buying, according to a new report.
India's new manufacturing project announcements more than halved in the fourth quarter of FY26, falling 60 per cent sequentially and 78 per cent year-on-year to approximately 1.7 trillion, driven by global uncertainties, geopolitical conflicts in West Asia, and existing unutilised manufacturing capacity.
The Competition Commission of India, following its preliminary inquiry, said the airline appeared to have caused an appreciable adverse effect on competition by restricting its services.
The Karnataka high court stayed enforcement of the Karnataka Cinemas (Regulation) (Amendment) Rules, 2025, which fixed a cap for movie ticket prices at Rs 200 across the state.
The Karnataka High Court has stayed the enforcement of a rule that capped movie ticket prices at Rs 200 across the state, following a petition by the Multiplex Association of India and other cinema stakeholders.
When missiles fly in this region, they are never just aimed at military targets.
A bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela also asked how could other airlines take advantage of the crisis situation and charge hefty sums for tickets from the passengers.
The government on Monday asked airlines to devise a mechanism to ensure reasonable airfares amid a surge in air ticket prices, particularly on certain routes that were earlier served by Go First. In the case of the unfortunate Odisha tragedy, airlines have been advised to provide free carriage (cargo) services to the families of the deceased, the civil aviation ministry said. During an hour-long meeting of the airlines advisory group, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia shared his concerns about the steep rise in airfares on certain routes.
Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines invested Rs 9,558 crore in loss-making Air India in 2024-25, with the promoters pumping in Rs 4,306 crore alone in March this year.
Taking a serious note of the situation, the civil aviation ministry said it has invoked regulatory powers to ensure fair and reasonable fares across all affected routes.
With the Iran war escalating sharply and crisis deepening in the global energy market, India on Monday unveiled a coordinated plan to support exporters and shippers caught in the fallout.
Thousands of tourists have begun leaving Kashmir after a terror attack in Pahalgam killed 26 people, prompting authorities to arrange for their safe return. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed concern over the exodus, while the Civil Aviation Ministry has ordered airlines to ensure there are no fare hikes and to offer extra flights from Srinagar. While many tourists are leaving, some are choosing to stay, citing the presence of security forces and their feeling of safety.
The price of jet fuel (ATF) was sharply increased by 7.5 per cent on Tuesday, while the cost of LPG used in commercial establishments was reduced by Rs 58.50 per cylinder, reflecting shifts in international benchmark rates. After three rounds of price cuts, aviation turbine fuel (ATF) price was increased by Rs 6,271.5 per kilolitre, or 7.5 per cent, to Rs 89,344.05 per kl in the national capital - home to one of the busiest airports in the country, according to state-owned fuel retailers.
The Delhi High Court refused to entertain a PIL seeking compensation for passengers affected by IndiGo flight cancellations, citing an ongoing related case.
'The CCI will first need to take a prima facie view on whether IndiGo's role warrants a detailed investigation.'
IndiGo is operating 1,650 flights of its 2,300 daily domestic and international flights on Sunday, and 650 remain cancelled for the day, amid the airline's operations gradually stabilising after massive disruptions in the last five days, the airline said.
