'Great potential' in civil aviation sector; air travel has rebounded: Economic Survey

With the containment of COVID-19 infections and the lifting of travel restrictions worldwide, the survey said, air travel has rebounded.

The country's civil aviation sector has "great potential" owing to growing demand from the middle class, higher disposable incomes and favourable demographics, while air travel has rebounded with the lifting of the coronavirus pandemic-related curbs, according to the Economic Survey.

The Economic Survey for 2022-23, tabled in Parliament on January 31, 2023, listed various factors that are helping the civil aviation sector, including the UDAN scheme, which has considerably enhanced regional connectivity through the opening of airports in the hinterland.

Under the UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik) scheme, which is aimed to facilitate/ stimulate regional air connectivity by making it affordable, the total number of tourism routes has increased to 59 and presently, 51 are operational.

"The civil aviation sector in India has great potential owing to growing demand from the middle class, growth in population and tourism, higher disposable incomes, favourable demographics, and greater penetration of aviation infrastructure," the survey said.

With the containment of COVID-19 infections and the lifting of travel restrictions worldwide, the survey said, air travel has rebounded.

While in FY21, there was a considerable decline in air traffic — a fall of 54% — and passenger traffic handled — a decrease of 66% — last financial year witnessed a recovery.

"The current financial year has further shown a rebound, with both passenger and cargo movement close to the pre-COVID-19 levels. The total number of passengers carried in December 2022 stood at 150.1 lakh, which was 106.4% of the pre-COVID level (average for 11 months from April 2019 to February 2020).