Airtime Blog
Unlocking India’s Vast Aviation Potential
By
As India strives to keep pace with surging demand for air travel, P&W is ensuring operators there get the support they need, from major hubs to regional airports.
THE WORLD’S FASTEST-GROWING DOMESTIC AVIATION MARKET
With air travel becoming more affordable and the spending power of its middle-class increasing, India’s aviation industry is booming. The number of domestic air travellers increased from 60 million at the end of 2013 to almost 140 million by the end of 2018. Last year alone, the domestic market grew by 18%—the highest figure in the world, well ahead of second-placed China (11.7%).
Can India sustain this pace? According to P&W’s Nirmalkumar Chandramouli, Country Manager – India, Strategy & Business Development, the recent growth is just the tip of the iceberg. The number of passengers per capita still falls well short of other major nations. Given India’s huge population spread across the entire sub-continent, there remains vast untapped potential in this market, which the government is seeking to activate through its Regional Connectivity Scheme, UDAN, aimed at making air travel more accessible.
Can India sustain this pace? According to P&W’s Nirmalkumar Chandramouli, Country Manager – India, Strategy & Business Development, the recent growth is just the tip of the iceberg. The number of passengers per capita still falls well short of other major nations. Given India’s huge population spread across the entire sub-continent, there remains vast untapped potential in this market, which the government is seeking to activate through its Regional Connectivity Scheme, UDAN, aimed at making air travel more accessible.
There is a tremendous opportunity for aviation in India. I believe we will hit 500 million travellers per year in the next decade, if the required ecosystem is in place to sustain this level of growth. And if the industry does grow by a factor of three, we will need three times more aircraft.
Nirmalkumar Chandramouli, Country Manager – India, Strategy & Business Development
To meet this projected demand, Nirmalkumar reckons a fleet of 200 to 250 turboprops and roughly 1,200 narrow-body aircraft will be needed. That has major implications for both the country’s infrastructure and operators.
FAST GROWTH CALLS FOR INFRASTRUCTURE SOLUTIONS
First and foremost, India needs more airports, says Nirmalkumar. “Every airport in India is operating over capacity,” he remarks. When Bangalore opened a greenfield airport ten years ago, it surpassed its long-term passenger target of 10 million in just three years. Within less than five years, it had launched its first expansion to create additional capacity; today, the airport handles roughly 25 million passengers on a yearly basis. The story is similar elsewhere.
Many more airports have been revived and some notable greenfield airports have opened during the past decade. These present challenges of various kinds. Recently opened Pakyong Airport in the northern state of Sikkim, for instance, is a greenfield site located at 4,500 feet. The operating environment, including frequent mists, makes establishing reliable service an issue.
According to Nirmalkumar, despite new airports being added, another key issue faced by airlines today is the non-availability of parking slots in both metro and non-metro airports. This leads to slots for newer flights only being offered during off-peak times that are not very popular with travellers.
Many more airports have been revived and some notable greenfield airports have opened during the past decade. These present challenges of various kinds. Recently opened Pakyong Airport in the northern state of Sikkim, for instance, is a greenfield site located at 4,500 feet. The operating environment, including frequent mists, makes establishing reliable service an issue.
According to Nirmalkumar, despite new airports being added, another key issue faced by airlines today is the non-availability of parking slots in both metro and non-metro airports. This leads to slots for newer flights only being offered during off-peak times that are not very popular with travellers.
At present, operators cannot deploy their assets in the most efficient way, so that is something that needs to change. Other issues like India’s shortage of pilots and challenges relating to financing also need to be addressed. But once the infrastructure and resources are in place, there will be scope for almost unimaginable growth.
Nirmalkumar Chandramouli, Country Manager –India, Strategy & Business Development
READY TO HELP CUSTOMERS EXPAND INDIAN OPERATIONS
P&W is well represented in India, where the short-haul market is dominated by the ATR 72 and De Havilland Dash 8, respectively powered by PW127M and PW150A engines. The country’s P&W fleet stands at around 1,400 engines and auxiliary power units, including regional turboprops for airlines such as Alliance Air, IndiGo, SpiceJet and TruJet.
“Engine reliability and availability are always important, especially at remote or greenfield airports where you don’t always have the infrastructure or personnel in place,” notes Nirmalkumar. “Thanks to their inherent reliability and our experienced support team, our engines are in top-notch condition, and that’s backed up by our comprehensive maintenance plans and aftermarket services.”
Support is provided through dedicated in-region field support representatives (FSRs), who work closely with P&W’s Asia-Pacific service hub in Singapore. What’s more, all P&W airline customers in India are on pay-per-hour plans that help them schedule maintenance and manage their costs more effectively.
Another increasingly popular option for regional aircraft is the FAST™ solution, which provides operators with actionable insights into engine health by capturing and wirelessly transmitting a host of full-flight data on key parameters after each flight, along with propeller vibration trend monitoring. Nirmalkumar reckons that with key operators already adopting FAST, the majority of P&W’s Indian fleet will be equipped with this diagnostic and prognostic technology in the near future.
As the India aviation market continues its rapid growth, P&W is poised to take whatever steps are required to ensure operators have the right support—whether that’s at a major Tier 1 hub or a new high-altitude airport like Pakyong Airport.
“Engine reliability and availability are always important, especially at remote or greenfield airports where you don’t always have the infrastructure or personnel in place,” notes Nirmalkumar. “Thanks to their inherent reliability and our experienced support team, our engines are in top-notch condition, and that’s backed up by our comprehensive maintenance plans and aftermarket services.”
Support is provided through dedicated in-region field support representatives (FSRs), who work closely with P&W’s Asia-Pacific service hub in Singapore. What’s more, all P&W airline customers in India are on pay-per-hour plans that help them schedule maintenance and manage their costs more effectively.
Another increasingly popular option for regional aircraft is the FAST™ solution, which provides operators with actionable insights into engine health by capturing and wirelessly transmitting a host of full-flight data on key parameters after each flight, along with propeller vibration trend monitoring. Nirmalkumar reckons that with key operators already adopting FAST, the majority of P&W’s Indian fleet will be equipped with this diagnostic and prognostic technology in the near future.
As the India aviation market continues its rapid growth, P&W is poised to take whatever steps are required to ensure operators have the right support—whether that’s at a major Tier 1 hub or a new high-altitude airport like Pakyong Airport.
We are open to do what is demanded by the market and operators. With the organization-wide initiatives focused on the customer experience, we are taking customised solutions to next level to bring more value for every dollar spent.
Nirmalkumar Chandramouli, Country Manager – India, Strategy & Business Development