IndiGo aims to operate domestic flights at full capacity from December 2021: Report

IndiGo is currently operating at 70 percent capacity (Representative image)

IndiGo, the country's largest private sector airline, is planning to operate at full capacity from December 2021, a report said on September 10. The carrier is also reportedly aiming to cover two-thirds of the international routes it operated in the pre-pandemic period.

The airline's target to return at 100 percent capacity comes amid an increase in mobility as pandemic restrictions have been eased, Bloomberg reported following its conversation with IndiGo Chief Executive Officer Ronojoy Dutta.

“Things are improving slowly,” Dutta told Bloomberg Television, adding that a "bullish" target can be set as the air traffic is going up.

Also Read | Domestic air passenger traffic up 31% at 66 lakh in August on higher capacity deployment: ICRA

The IndiGo CEO further said that the current cash levels were “pretty good,” but also noted that the carrier is aiming to raise funds as an insurance buffer as warnings have been issued about a possible third wave.

If a third COVID-19 wave strikes, the aviation sector recovery in India is expected to be short-lived as a number of restrictions on public mobility would be reinforced.

Currently, the government has set a cap on passenger capacity of 72.5 percent on domestic flights. The regular international flights, meanwhile, have been suspended till September 30.

The aviation sector had struck the ground in April-May last year, when the outbreak of coronavirus led to the total suspension of flights. After the restrictions were eased and the first phase of the pandemic receded, the sector witnessed a gradual recovery. However, it suffered another blow with the onset of second COVID-19 wave in April this year.

For the quarter ending on June 30, IndiGo operator InterGlobe Aviation posted a loss of Rs 3,174.2 crore for the quarter ended June 2021, widening from Rs 2,844.3 crore in the year-ago period.