- More than 2.42 lakh passengers faced delays, cancellations, or denied boarding in India during May.
- Airlines spent Rs 5.93 crore on compensation and facilitation for disrupted domestic travelers.
- IndiaOne Air led cancellations at 5.58%, far above the overall domestic average of 0.55%.
(INDIA) – In May, Indian domestic air travel faced widespread disruption as more than 2.42 lakh+ passengers experienced delays, cancellations, or denied boarding, triggering nearly Rs 5.93 crore in airline compensation and facilitation charges.
Airlines spent Rs 593.07 lakh on affected passengers during the month. The disruption figures covered travelers delayed by more than two hours, passengers hit by flight cancellations, and those denied boarding.
Delays accounted for the largest share. A total of 1,77,550 passengers were delayed for over two hours, while 63,723 were affected by cancellations and 900 faced denied boarding.
Free toolSubstantial Presence Test CalculatorMay traffic remained heavy despite those disruptions. Scheduled domestic airlines carried 153.9 lakh passengers during the month, placing the disruption figures against a large travel base.
Cancellation data showed a wide spread among carriers. The overall cancellation rate for scheduled domestic airlines stood at 0.55%, but several smaller operators posted rates far above that level.
IndiaOne Air recorded the highest cancellation rate at 5.58%. Alliance Air followed at 4.29%, and SpiceJet posted 4.04%.
Fly91 reported a cancellation rate of 1.74%, while Star Air stood at 0.83%. Among larger carriers, Air India Group posted 0.39%, IndiGo 0.36%, and Akasa Air 0.14%.
| Metric | Value | Commentary |
|---|---|---|
| Passengers affected | 2.42 lakh+ | Includes delays, cancellations, and denied boarding in May. |
| Delayed over two hours | 1,77,550 | Largest category among affected passengers. |
| Affected by cancellations | 63,723 | Second-largest source of disruption. |
| Denied boarding | 900 | Smallest category by volume. |
| Airline spending | Rs 593.07 lakh | Compensation and facilitation outlay during May. |
| Overall cancellation rate | 0.55% | Benchmark for scheduled domestic airlines in May. |
Those figures show that delays, not denied boarding, drove most passenger disruption in May. Cancellations still affected tens of thousands of travelers and added to airline payout obligations.
✅ Travelers affected in May may want to verify rebooking or compensation options with the carrier and keep all receipts for claims.
The cancellation-rate gap between airlines was pronounced. IndiaOne Air’s 5.58% rate was more than ten times the system-wide average of 0.55%, while Akasa Air remained at 0.14%.
Alliance Air and SpiceJet also stood well above the market average. Fly91 and Star Air were lower than those three carriers, but still above Air India Group, IndiGo, and Akasa Air.
⚠️ The overall cancellation rate stood at 0.55% in May; higher rates were observed for IndiaOne Air (5.58%), Alliance Air (4.29%), and SpiceJet (4.04%).
| Airline | Cancellation Rate |
|---|---|
| IndiaOne Air | 5.58% |
| Alliance Air | 4.29% |
| SpiceJet | 4.04% |
| Fly91 | 1.74% |
| Star Air | 0.83% |
| Air India Group | 0.39% |
| IndiGo | 0.36% |
| Akasa Air | 0.14% |
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Scheduled domestic passengers carried in May | 153.9 lakh |
| Overall cancellation rate | 0.55% |
| Total passengers affected by disruptions | 2.42 lakh+ |
Traffic volume gives the disruption numbers their scale. With 153.9 lakh domestic passengers carried in May, even a sub-1% cancellation rate translated into a substantial number of affected travelers.
Compensation and facilitation spending also reflected that pressure. Airlines paid out about Rs 5.93 crore as delays, cancellations, and denied boarding disrupted journeys across the domestic network.
This article discusses travel disruptions and compensation data only; it should not be interpreted as tax or legal advice.
Readers should consult official airline policies or regulatory guidance for specific compensation claims.
