INDIA’S largest private carrier Jet Airways reported its fourth straight quarterly loss on Friday (January 20), underscoring the troubled state of the country’s airline sector.

Indian airlines, the growth of which has been one of the most visible signs of the country’s economic expansion, are struggling to cope with soaring fuel prices, intense competition and heavy debt.

The carrier reported a net loss of $19m (£12.20m) compared with a net profit of $1.18bn (£757772) in the same period a year earlier.

“Earnings were impacted by the high air fuel prices and the steep decline of the rupee against the dollar,” Jet chairman Naresh Goyal said in a statement.

The airline, which is based in Mumbai, is India’s largest, with a 27 per cent market share. It flies to 53 domestic destinations and 23 across the world, including New York, London and Hong Kong.

Jet’s rival, Kingfisher Airlines, which has seen its passenger market share slump in recent months, is battling a cash-flow crisis that has raised doubts about its survival.