Economic Survey 2013: Domestic flyers change plans, head for railway stations

NEW DELHI: India is witnessing a growth in international flyers and a dip in domestic ones. The economic survey said that 10.6 crore people flew within the country from January to November, 2012, lower than the 10.8 crore for the same period a year ago. “However, international passenger traffic handled at Indian airports was at 3.8 crore during January-November 2012 as against 3.6 crore during the corresponding period of the previous year,” it added
However, the survey projects a rosy picture for the crisis-ridden Air India as it expects the national carrier to be EBITDA positive this fiscal.“It is expected that the company will achieve positive EBIDTA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) for 2012-13,” the survey says for AI.
It added that the airline’s performance in the operational and financial spheres has matched the turnaround plan prepared for it. “AI has registered an all round enhanced performance such as on-time performance at 85%, passenger load factor at 71% and yield at Rs 4.3 per revenue passenger kilometer.”
The survey said the Twelfth Five Year Plan (2012-17) period will see an investment of Rs 65,000 crore in airports here and the private sector will chip in with as much as Rs 50,000 crore. “Development of 35 selected non-metro airports has been undertaken by Airports Authority of India, which have been identified based on regional connectivity, development of regional hubs, places of major tourist attraction and potential for development as business hubs. Projects at 28 airports have been completed,” the survey added.
Budget 2013 > Rail Budget 2013 > Economic Survey 2013