WITH Jet Airways suffering lag, airlines like IndiGo and GoAir are trying to take pilot seat and fly from Nagpur on different routes. Jet Airways, being neck deep in debt, has been forced to cancel all its flights from the city due to non-payment of lease agreements of its planes. This has created shortage of flights on the most crowded routes like Nagpur-Mumbai and Nagpur-Delhi. Several airlines are taking advantage of the situation and adding new flights from Nagpur airport. This was disclosed by Jatinder Nakade, Past President of Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI), Nagpur Chapter and Director of Travel Links, while talking to The Hitavada. GoAir has built connectivity on its existing Nagpur-Bengaluru flight with connectivity to Male, Hyderabad, Ranchi, Goa, Patna, Port Blair etc.

 

This flight departs from Nagpur daily at 6 am. From April 7, it has added one new flight on the Nagpur-Delhi route which departs only on alternate Sundays from 6 pm, Nakade said. In addition to this, IndiGo will be adding two flights on the Nagpur-Mumbai route on a daily basis. The first flight will start from April 15 and the second flight will start from May 4. The first flight from Nagpur airport will depart from 11.50 am. The May 4 flight from Nagpur airport will depart from 5 am. The ticket bookings to these flights have started, he pointed out. Due to cut-throat competition in the aviation industry, some of the biggest companies like Kingfisher and Jet Airways had to suffer massive losses and shut down operations. The fare war has come down heavily on the aviation industry to such an extent that most airlines are left with no cash to meet even daily expenses and pay salaries of employees.

 

The aviation industry should learn a lesson from these bankrupt airlines and avoid lowering fares to such an extent that there is no profit margin. Instead, airlines should offer tickets at marginally higher rates so that they can recover expenses and make a small profit in the process. There is tremendous growth in passenger traffic in India. Passengers are willing to pay more but they also want good services, said sources in the industry on the condition of anonymity. “Air India has ramped up its operations and is offering prompt service without compromising on air fares. People are preferring Air India now-a-days as the airline is providing flight service without delays and very few cancellations. In the next two years, Air India can become profitable and one of the best airlines in India,” sources further added.