Tuesday, March 25, 2025 India’s aviation sector is navigating turbulent skies as 133 aircraft remain grounded across domestic carriers, even as the industry sets ambitious growth targets by placing over 1,300 aircraft orders in just two years. According to a written reply from the Ministry of Civil Aviation to the Rajya Sabha, out of the total 813 aircraft registered with various Indian airlines, only 680 are currently operational, raising concerns about fleet utilization and maintenance capacity. Fleet Utilization Snapshot: IndiGo, Air India Lead the Sky Among the 680 aircraft still flying, IndiGo maintains dominance with 319 aircraft in operation, reflecting its commanding market share in the Indian skies.
Air India follows with 198 operational aircraft, while Air India Express contributes 101 planes to the functional fleet. The remaining aircraft are scattered across smaller domestic carriers such as SpiceJet, Akasa Air, Go First (temporarily grounded), and Vistara. While 680 aircraft continue to serve routes across the country and beyond, the 133 grounded planes highlight ongoing challenges within India’s dynamic aviation sector.
Grounded fleets can stem from a range of causes including delayed maintenance, pending parts, regulatory issues, or manufacturer service disruptions—a situation further complicated by the global supply chain constraints that have plagued aviation maintenance services post-pandemic. Airline Airports IndiGo Indira Gandhi International Airport.
