DGCA figures showed SpiceJet held 0.6% of India’s domestic passenger market in September 2026, below Star Air, while operating data showed a wide gap between it and larger rivals.
The airline’s share fell from 3.9% in January 2026 to 1.2% in August and 0.6% in September. Star Air recorded 0.7% in September. The figures show the market-share decline but do not establish its cause.
At 10 major airports, SpiceJet’s on-time performance was 16.6%, compared with 91.1% for IndiGo, 90.8% for Akasa Air and 81.7% for the Air India Group, DGCA figures showed. SpiceJet’s reported cancellation rate was 20.29%, against 1.15% for scheduled domestic airlines overall.
Scheduled airlines carried 11.823 million domestic passengers in September, down 6.49% from a year earlier and 2.56% from August. The decline in total traffic provides broader market context but does not explain SpiceJet’s individual performance.
Mint reported that SpiceJet attributed its August capacity limits to the number of aircraft available for service and the time required to restore planes undergoing maintenance.
Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu said in September 2026 that SpiceJet was seeking funds through the Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS), as the government urged it to increase operations. The Cabinet approved ECLGS 5.0 for airlines in May 2026 amid sector-wide pressures that included higher fuel prices, airspace closures and reduced operations.
Business Today reported that SpiceJet planned to add 20 leased aircraft for the winter schedule.
