Air India and IndiGo face a brutal FY26 with crash deaths and meltdown pressures

Nearly 290 deaths, yet passenger growth stayed sluggish

FY26 in India has been a double hit: nearly 290 people died in air crashes, passenger traffic growth remained muted, and India’s largest airline suffered an operational meltdown. With West Asia conflict still active and fuel prices under pressure, the next fiscal year could bring higher costs and tougher aviation conditions—especially for major carriers and the government’s oversight.