In February 2026, Indian airlines carried 1.4 crore domestic passengers, a decrease from 1.5 crore in January but unchanged from the previous year. The decline is attributed to lower aircraft availability and weaker travel sentiment, as noted by CA Ranganathan, a former member of the Civil Aviation Safety Advisory Council. The rating agency Icra reported that the airlines' capacity deployment was 8.8% lower than in January, with domestic departures totaling 89,616. Supply chain disruptions, particularly related to Pratt & Whitney engines, have led to the grounding of 117 aircraft, which constitutes 13-15% of the total industry fleet. Despite these challenges, IndiGo maintained a market share of 63.1%, while Air India increased its share to 27%. The previous year's passenger spike was influenced by the Kumbh Mela, creating a higher comparison base this year.