NEW DELHI, Oct. 27 -- India's domestic air passenger traffic fell 6.5% in September, the steepest year-on-year decline since the pandemic, as higher fares and rising fuel costs compounded seasonal weakness in a market that had been among the world's fastest-growing. The drop was also the sharpest so far in the current fiscal year, extending a slowdown that has persisted through the first nine months of 2026.

Domestic airlines carried 11.82 million passengers in September, down from 12.64 million a year earlier, according to data released by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). Traffic also fell 2.5% from 12.13 million in August.

September is traditionally a lean period for Indian aviation, with the monsoon and the end of su...