GoAir recently introduced return zero fare tickets under 'GoHappy Fares' plan, while low-cost arm of Air India, Air India Express offered domestic travellers a fare of Rs 99 plus taxes. Air Deccan, which has been taken over by Kingfisher Airlines and Spicejet are already in the race offering such sops. For AI Express, which has been primarily operating on international routes, this is an effort to reach out to the domestic market.
On offer from the beginning of this week, these fares are expected to continue through the rest of the lean season, that is, till the end of September. Customers buying any low-cost carrier ticket on the Mumbai-Delhi route will only have to pay taxes and surcharges that range from Rs 3,400 to Rs 3,600.
Low-cost carrier SpiceJet's share price went up 9.5 per cent at the Bombay Stock Exchange today in an otherwise flat market fuelled by speculation that the airline was in merger talks with another Delhi-based low-cost carrier, IndiGo.
India perhaps is the only market in the world where full-service and low-cost fares have become one.
The trails of mega-mergers, tailwinds of expanding fleets, flights and airports will dot the fast-growing Indian aviation firmament in 2025, though the dark clouds of supply chain woes will persist longer. Also, new airline takeoffs, the future trajectory of revised norms to tackle pilot fatigue and efforts to reduce carbon emissions will be on the radar.
Air India launched a short term 'SpringSale' of up to 50 per cent on all domestic sectors of its network, which is up for sale till Friday and valid for travel between February 21 and April 15.
India is the third-largest domestic airline market in the world, up from number five position a decade ago, according to analysis based on OAG data. The data shows India's domestic airline capacity doubling in a decade from 7.9 million in April 2014 to 15.5 million in April 2024. In reaching the third slot, India has replaced Brazil (pushed to fourth place with 9.7 million) and Indonesia (relegated to fifth in the rankings with 9.2 million).
At a panel discussion at the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation's summit in Mumbai on Tuesday, Gopinath also said that airlines should price fares so as to maximise loads.
Stating that the Centre was planning construct 15 more airports under the Greenfield Airport Policy, Singh said the civil aviation ministry is in process of identifying the most suitable low cost viable model for development of small airports to increase regional connectivity.
Jet Airways, Kingfisher shift flights to low-cost platforms; experts expect a fare war. "Every year, airlines come up with cheap fares in the summer season, but not like this year. I had never seen airlines offering 50 per cent cash-back offers. Now with Jet Konnect and Kingfisher Red, there are more flights to the routes where LCCs used to dominate," says Bhawna Agarwal, co-founder and head of air business, Yatra.com.
From limousine pick-ups to on-board chefs, Asia's premium airlines are investing hundreds of millions of dollars on luxury services.
India needs to be technologically and militarily prepared to defend itself from both Pakistan and China, alerts Ramesh Menon.
Low-cost carrier Simplify Deccan will be rebranded Kingfisher Red, a separate brand identity from Vijay Mallya-promoted full-service carrier Kingfisher Airlines.
Singapore Airlines will make an additional investment of Rs 3,194.5 crore in Tata Group-owned Air India post-merger of Vistara in November. The merger, announced on November 29, 2022, and set to be completed on November 11, 2024, will result in Singapore Airlines having a 25.1 per cent stake in the enlarged Air India. Full-service carrier Vistara, which started flying on January 9, 2015, is a joint venture between Tatas and Singapore Airlines, where the latter holds a 49 per cent shareholding.
The Supreme Court on Friday got irked over a lengthy judgement penned by a single judge bench of the Delhi high court in a case related to an arbitral award involving media baron Kalanithi Maran and SpiceJet, saying there was no "application of mind". Suggesting that the case be now transferred to another judge by the Delhi HC, the top court said the judgement "has to be carefully articulated" and "the judge must apply mind to grounds of challenge and then deduce if interference is warranted". The strong observations against the single judge bench came from a bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud during the hearing of an appeal by Kalanithi Maran and Kal Airways against a Delhi high court order setting aside an arbitral award asking the SpiceJet to refund Rs 579 crore plus interest to the media baron and his firm.
Budget airline SpiceJet has launched the best offer this summer.
According to Boeing, India would need 1,940 single-aisle planes worth $220 billion and 350 wide-body aircraft valued at $100 billion.
Travel portals are losing serious business, as customers book tickets with the airlines directly. To survive the trend, travels portals are reworking their business strategy.
Low-cost carrier Kingfisher Red will shut down in four months with the airline group chief Vijay Mallya on Wednesday saying several measures have been initiated to face financial problems caused by high interest burden and burgeoning fuel costs.
'That refresh programme -- because they are big aircraft and we cannot ground them all at the same time -- will last well into 2027.'
The low cost public sector carrier, Air India Express, will soon start operations from some southern cities to the Gulf and West Asia at 30 per cent lower fares than the regular ones, Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel said on Thursday.
Air India Express and AirAsia India have moved to a unified reservation system, whereby passengers can make bookings for both airlines through an integrated website. The move is part of the ongoing process of merging AirAsia India with Air India Express. The combined entity will focus on leisure-oriented and price-sensitive markets.
Jayanth Pooviah, director and chief executive officer of Deccan Charters, confirmed the development.
From highways connecting once-remote regions to aviation networks carrying millions, India's infrastructure story is one of transformation.
The new airline will leverage business class seats to improve yield per passenger and fly only to big cities.
The first flight with over 150 passengers from Chennai landed here this morning as the 'cultural capital' was included in the list of one of the major low-cost airliners in India.
Ending its uncomfortable journey in India after eight years, Malaysia-based AirAsia Group on Wednesday said it has exited AirAsia India by selling its remaining 16.67 per cent stake to Tata Group-owned Air India for Rs 155.64 crore. Later in the day, Air India said it has begun the process of creating a single low-cost carrier subsidiary by merging AirAsia India and Air India Express. A working group consisting AirAsia India CEO Sunil Bhaskaran and Air India Express CEO Aloke Singh has been formed for the two carriers' integration, which is expected to take approximately 12 months, it added.
'I hope they all survive, but it is a tough world.' 'The carriers who are already established are already struggling.'
Spicejet receives maximum complaints regarding refunds
LCCs said apart from higher charges, which they had to fork out, there was also fear they might lose their on-time performance records.
Maverick entrepreneur Tony Fernandes, who built low-cost carrier AirAsia to be a formidable player in South-East Asia, is prepared for a price battle in the Indian skies.
Faced with falling market share, full service airlines are slashing ticket costs to compete with low-cost carriers.
Budget airlines are now set to explore the non-metro markets. With high growth prospects there, the carriers are pumping in funds and offering attractive packages to lure customers.
Jet Airways faces similar setback.
Indian carrier Vistara on Monday announced voluntary retirement scheme (VRS) and voluntary separation scheme (VSS) for its permanent ground staff ahead of its merger with Air India, which had announced similar plans for its non-flying permanent staff two weeks ago.
Full service carrier (FSC) Air India is now planning to charge for all meals onboard on its domestic flights.
No-frill carriers have found a way into their customers' pockets - through their stomach
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