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Survey reveals Indian flyers believe airlines prioritise publicity over passenger safety
The survey drew from a diverse cross-section of Indian society. Men comprised 63% of the respondents, while women made up 37%.
The survey drew from a diverse cross-section of Indian society. Men comprised 63% of the respondents, while women made up 37%.
A new nationwide survey has raised serious questions about passenger safety in Indian aviation, revealing that a significant number of flyers believe airlines are focusing more on brand building and publicity than on ensuring safe journeys.
Conducted by community social media platform LocalCircles, the pan-India online survey captured the opinions of over 44,000 citizens from 322 districts. It comes in the wake of a series of recent air travel mishaps, both mid-air and on the ground, that have sparked widespread concern among passengers.
According to the survey, 76% of respondents believe that many Indian airlines are spending more on marketing and publicity than on passenger safety. When asked directly whether they thought airlines were prioritising brand perception over actual operational safety, 43% responded “yes, all of them”, while 33% said “yes, some of them”. Just 11% felt none of the airlines were doing so, and 13% chose not to give a clear answer.
The findings carry weight amid a spate of troubling incidents involving leading Indian carriers — particularly Air India and SpiceJet — over the past few months.
A Surge in Incidents Last month, a tragic accident involving Tata Group-owned Air India’s Boeing 787-8 aircraft made global headlines. The aircraft, on its way to London Gatwick from Ahmedabad, crashed shortly after takeoff. The horrifying incident resulted in the deaths of 241 out of 242 passengers on board, as well as 19 people on the ground. India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is currently probing the incident, and a preliminary report has already been submitted.
The concerns didn’t end there. Just this week, an Air India flight from Kochi to Mumbai veered off the runway during landing, causing substantial damage to the aircraft. On the same day, another Air India aircraft preparing for takeoff to Kolkata from Delhi was forced to abort its departure due to a technical snag.
Meanwhile, IndiGo, India’s largest airline by market share, was also in the news when a Goa-Mumbai flight had to make an emergency landing due to a suspected landing gear failure.
Adding to passenger unease, a SpiceJet flight operating from Goa to Pune suffered a mid-air scare when the exterior window frame of the aircraft detached, creating panic among those onboard the Bombardier Q400 aircraft.
Flyers Share Concerns Over Flight Experience Beyond perceptions of corporate priorities, the LocalCircles survey also gathered responses about actual flight experiences.
Flyers were asked: “In the last three years, what percentage of your flights (takeoff, inflight or landings) on India-based airlines would you classify as rough or traumatic?” The responses were telling.
Out of 17,630 respondents, a whopping 75% said more than half of their flights had been rough. An additional 6% reported rough experiences on 40–50% of their flights, another 6% said 30–40%, while 9% pointed to 10–20% of their air journeys being problematic.
In total, the data suggests that 64% of Indian air travellers have experienced at least one rough or traumatic flight in the last three years, be it during takeoff, inflight, or landing.
Diverse Respondent Base The survey drew from a diverse cross-section of Indian society. Men comprised 63% of the respondents, while women made up 37%. Geographically, 46% were from Tier 1 cities, 25% from Tier 2, and the remaining 29% from Tier 3, 4, 5, and rural areas, ensuring representation across various socioeconomic segments.
The Bigger Picture As India’s aviation sector continues to expand, the survey serves as a stark reminder that brand-building efforts cannot come at the cost of basic safety standards. With a series of high-profile incidents and rising anxiety among passengers, industry stakeholders and regulatory bodies may need to re-examine safety protocols, maintenance practices, and the broader allocation of resources.
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