Kingfisher Airlines shrinks to becomes India’s smallest domestic carrier in Mar-2012

Kingfisher Airlines, in a remarkable turn of events, has slipped from being India's largest domestic carrier to its smallest in the space of only six months amid significant network rationalisation by the struggling carrier as part of its 'holding plan'. This is a marked turnaround for Kingfisher, which was the largest stand-alone carrier in the market in the first nine months of 2011 with a high of 20% market share in Apr-2011.

According to the latest Indian Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) data, Kingfisher held only a 6.4% market share in Mar-2012, surpassed even by JetLite with a 7.1% market share and GoAir with a 7.5% market share. GoAir has been the smallest domestic carrier in the Indian market since Aug-2010, with Paramount previously holding this position.

Kingfisher Airlines will likely remain as the nation's smallest carrier in the coming months, as it continues its much-curtailed summer 2012 schedule, operating approximately 120 daily services with 20 dedicated aircraft of which only 16 may be fully operational.