Why Indian Airlines Keep Going Bankrupt

No other country has seen so many airlines fail in such a short time. In India’s case, more than forty have disappeared in the past twenty years. From premium global carriers like Kingfisher and Jet Airways to small regional connectors, the rate and scale of collapse has been unprecedented. This film asks why the world’s fastest-growing aviation market keeps losing its airlines, and whether Tata’s Air India can finally break the cycle.

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Sources:

The Economic Times (2023) Five reasons why private airlines fail so often in India.

Reuters (2023) Airbus wins historic 500-plane IndiGo order.

Quartz (2024) India’s $12 billion plan to handle soaring air travel.

Moneycontrol (2023) India’s history of failed airlines.

Quartz (2023) India’s $12 billion plan to handle soaring air travel.

IJLSSS – Law & Social Sciences (2025) Financial turbulence: the bankruptcy crisis in Indian aviation.

Business Standard (2024) IndiGo solidifies domestic supremacy in 2023 by raising market share to 60.5 %.

The Economic Times (2023) Five reasons why private airlines fail so often in India.

The Economic Times (2023) Five reasons why private airlines fail so often in India.

The Economic Times (2022) Indian airline industry losses seen moderating to $1.4–1.7 billion in 2022–23, says CAPA India.

India Today (2023) Go First bankruptcy: crisis in the skies.

Reuters (2023) Air India’s plans to modernise under new owner Tata.

ABC News (Australia) (2023) Air India’s multi-billion-dollar plane deal.

Business Standard (2024) Air India–Vistara merger completed; Singapore Airlines gets 25.1 % stake.

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One Mile at a Time (2025) Air India business-class passengers offered waiver for broken seat.

Reuters (2023) Airbus wins historic 500-plane IndiGo order.