India: A Critical Market for Melbourne Airport with Massive Potential for Direct Connectivity
CEO Lorie Argus Highlights the Growing Importance of Indian Market
13.06.2024: India has emerged as a crucial market for Melbourne Airport, showing immense potential for direct connectivity. With Air India and IndiGo significantly expanding their fleets and networks, Melbourne Airport’s CEO, Lorie Argus, anticipates enhanced direct connectivity between India and Melbourne in the coming years.
Melbourne, home to the largest Indian diaspora in Australia, is witnessing a surge in demand for direct air connectivity with India. In the past 12 months, direct flights between Melbourne and India have increased by over 300% compared to the pre-pandemic period. This burgeoning demand has made India the fastest-growing long-haul market for Melbourne Airport.
In an interaction with Sukalp Sharma, Argus emphasized the significance of the Indian market. “India is critical for us. It is at the top of the list in terms of importance because it is our fastest-growing long-haul market. Melbourne Airport has grown direct services to India in the last 12 months by 330 per cent, and all those flights are going full,” Argus said.
Despite the growth in direct connectivity, 70% of the traffic between India and Australia still transits through connecting hubs like Singapore, indicating that the demand is still underserved.
The future looks promising as Air India and IndiGo continue to expand, potentially boosting the number of direct flights between Indian cities and Melbourne, meeting the high demand for travel between these regions.