Indian budget airlines expand international routes as incumbent carriers cut back

Recent woes in the Indian aviation sector are providing a further boost to the international aspirations of the nation’s LCC operators. IndiGo and SpiceJet are changing the market dynamics by opening up new international routes to low-cost competition as the Ministry of Civil Aviation grants private carriers additional access to bilateral entitlements.

While incumbent network carriers, Air India and Kingfisher Airlines, have cut back their respective international networks, SpiceJet, IndiGo and Jet Airways are planning to expand as a result of being granted additional international seat allocations.