New Delhi, August 18: India’s aviation sector witnessed over 5,700 flight cancellations in the first six months of 2025, accounting for nearly 1 percent of scheduled departures during the period. The disruptions were attributed to regulatory challenges and geopolitical factors.
According to data presented by Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha on Monday, the cancellations involved six carriers—Air India, Air India Express, IndiGo, Akasa Air, SpiceJet, and Alliance Air. Between January and June this year, 5,706 flights were grounded out of a total of 5.72 lakh scheduled departures.
Mohol pointed out that such operational disruptions impose significant financial strain on airlines. Apart from issuing refunds or compensation to affected passengers, carriers also had to bear additional costs, including extra fuel consumption, crew overtime, maintenance, airport charges, and rebooking expenses.
Despite these challenges, demand for air travel remained strong. Domestic airlines carried 7.34 percent more passengers between January and June 2025 compared to the same period last year, reflecting continued resilience in the sector.
