New Delhi, May 24 -- India's online travel companies including MakeMyTrip, ixigo and Yatra are starting to feel the strain from slowing air travel demand as the war in West Asia, higher international airfares, and a weaker rupee hurt their air travel business in the March quarter. Aviation comprises 25-30% of revenue for these companies.

This is prompting a notable pivot in consumer behavior, with travelers increasingly shunning expensive Western routes in favor of more affordable domestic and Southeast Asian destinations.

The pressure follows seasonal weakness in aviation revenues over the previous two quarters. MakeMyTrip saw a sequential decline in air ticketing revenue in the December quarter, while both Yatra and ixigo reported sof...