SpiceJet's domestic market share slips below Star Air in September

NEW DELHI — Cash-strapped SpiceJet's share of India's domestic aviation market fell to 0.6 per cent in September, dropping below regional carrier Star Air's 0.7 per cent share for the first time, the data released by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) showed.

SpiceJet carried 7.3 lakh passengers in September, extending a sharp decline from 59.2 lakh passengers in January as the airline continued to grapple with financial pressures and operational problems that kept part of its fleet grounded.

India’s domestic airlines carried an overall 11.823 million passengers in September, down 6.49 per cent on an annual basis, as airfares continued to remain high amid increased fuel costs and rupee depreciation.

Domestic passenger traffic for January-September fell 0.82 per cent year-on-year to 122.35 million passengers, against 123.370 million in the corresponding period last year, the DGCA data showed.

SpiceJet's market share has steadily dipped through the year, slipping from 3.9 per cent in January and February to 1.2 per cent in August before reaching 0.6 per cent in September. Passenger numbers also declined on a monthly basis, falling from 5.92 million in January to 7.3 lakh in September.

Star Air’s market share was 0.6 per cent in January, hovered around 0.5-0.6 per cent through months before reaching 0.7 per cent in June, remained at that level in July and August, and held steady in September.

Successive incidents of SpiceJet flights getting cancelled have been noted in recent months over operational disruptions, affecting scores of passengers.

The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) in July imposed a penalty of Rs 1 lakh on SpiceJet Limited for adopting deceptive design practices, commonly known as "dark patterns", on its flight booking platform by automatically enrolling consumers into its loyalty programme and obtaining consent for promotional communications through pre-selected options.