New Delhi: The temporary absence of major Gulf carriers is being viewed as an opportunity for Indian airlines to capture a larger share of international transit traffic, particularly on routes connecting India to global destinations via hubs like Dubai, Doha, and Abu Dhabi.
Airlines are working to simplify domestic-to-international transfers through Indian hubs. For example, passengers travelling from cities such as Varanasi to New York via Delhi may soon be able to complete immigration and customs formalities at their origin airport, allowing for smoother connections at transit points like Mumbai. Similar arrangements are also being explored for return journeys.
However, Indian carriers face constraints due to a limited number of wide-body aircraft. Air India operates around 60 such planes, while IndiGo currently has six wide-body aircraft on wet lease from a European airline. In comparison, global giants like Emirates and Qatar Airways operate significantly larger fleets, with around 270 and 150 wide-body aircraft, respectively.
Another challenge—common across the aviation industry—is managing seamless transfers for passengers arriving from international destinations and connecting onward to domestic flights
