Air India’s operating loss more than all private airlines combined; 13 of 15 carriers in red

Almost all airlines in India are bleeding, but some are losing much more money than the others, the government data showed. State-run national carrier Air India had an operating loss bigger than that at all the private airlines put together in the last financial year 2018-19. Meanwhile, all airlines, except for AI Express and Blue Dart Aviation, had an operating loss in FY19, according to the data provided in the Rajya Sabha by Minister of Civil Aviation Hardeep Singh Puri. What’s more, this list of loss-making airlines doesn’t include Jet Airways, JetLite and Zoom Air, which have already succumbed to losses.

Air India, Go Air and Vistara reported the highest operating losses in 2018-19. “Hike in pilot salary, rising fuel costs, fleet expansion, volatile lease rent due to payment in dollars are the main reason for increased operating expenses of the airlines,” Pulak Sen, Founder Secretary General, MRO Association of India, said to Financial Express Online.