SpiceJet Flight Fares Help the Carrier in Attaining Highest Occupancy

The Sun Group owned airline – SpiceJet – is in the process of establishing new performance benchmarks. This leading low-cost carrier (LCC) has a fleet size of around 79 aircraft and operates more than 350 flights every day, catering over 55 international and national destinations. Second quarter reports published by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) showed a positive change in the market share of this airline. It replaced Air India – the national airline – from the third rank. Capacity addition, introduction of new routes and cheapest airfare helped the carrier in gaining significant market share in the previous month. Now it carries more than 20 per cent of total fliers, which make it the second largest airline of the country followed by IndiGo. As far as seat occupancy is concerned, it tops the charts and leaves behind all the other carriers, according to a data revealed by DGCA.

As per industry reports, cheap SpiceJet flight fares and flash sales allured a large number of leisure as well as business travellers who had never travelled with the carrier before. Top-notch amenities and simplified booking process helped it in retaining the existing fliers. Officials said that these offers were rolled out with proper planning, and it did not take hit on the revenue. The LCC flew its aircraft with almost 79 per cent occupied seats, whereas IndiGo saw a downfall and optimised only 67 per cent of the capacity. Air India, Jet Airways, GoAir, Air Costa and AirAsia recorded approximately 69, 64, 69, 65 and 69 per cent occupancy, respectively, in the month of July. The tourism industry is thriving at a quick pace and around 5.21 million passengers enjoyed air travel in the previous year. It has broken the myth that carriers cannot fly aircraft with full capacity in the lean season.

Cheap Flights and Sales Contribute in GoAir Success

GoAir is one of the leading airlines of India, based in Mumbai and operated by the Wadia Group. With more than 100 daily flights and around 19 aircraft, it serves over 20 destinations all across the country. The carrier placed an order for over 70 Airbus A320 neo models, which are expected to be delivered in 2015. As per recent reports, this budget airline may soon add international destinations in its service list as it is planning to seek permission of respective authorities regarding overseas flying. The performance graph of GoAir in the previous quarter shows an upward movement in all respects, including the number of flights, routes and revenue.

This low-cost carrier (LCC) is not listed and hence, has to present its annual books in the public in order to give a true picture of the financial status to prospective investors. The company has revealed that so far it made a profit of INR 50 crores and the aim to gain more than 100 crores by the end of this fiscal year. In the last fiscal year, the revenue of this company was close to making a century, and actually crossed INR 100 in the 2013. Giorgio De Roni, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), revealed the fact that cheap GoAir flight tickets and the cargo business contributed significantly in this huge figure.

The CEO said that their aim is to increase revenue over the years as no dramatic change in fuel price has been observed. It is expected that the airline may cross the 100-crore benchmark in this fiscal year. Other airlines are expanding in terms of flights and fleet size, but he said that they want to remain small but profitable. Performance of the carrier is worth praising in the backdrop of losses that Indian aviation industry is facing.

SpiceJet Flight Services Edge Past Jet Airways

The Indian aviation industry is expanding at a never-before pace and all involved are getting the benefits from it. One of the beneficiaries is SpiceJet, which replaced Jet Airways in the ranking order, as per recent reports. This low-cost carrier (LCC) is the aviation foray of the Sun Group and is lead by Kalanithi Maran – Managing Director and Chairman of the company. The airline has been setting records since its inception in 2005. It has a registered head office in Chennai, corporate office in Gurgaon and primary base at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad. The LCC has introduced new flights to Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kochi and other South Indian cities since its announcement of the hub.

This budget airline also posted losses in the previous few months, but managed to topple Air India in the last quarter reports revealed by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). It gained a significant number of travellers by offering heavy discounts and capacity addition. SpiceJet flight is one of the cheapest among all others to commute from one state to another or one city to other. It operates over 350 daily flights serving over 55 international and domestic destinations, with a fleet size of almost 57 aircraft. More than 19 percentage of travellers preferred SpiceJet services over others in the last decade, which has now crossed 20 per cent. It is behind IndiGo only, which holds over 31 per cent of the total market share.

Just a month ago, Jet Airways along with JetLite had recorded 19.6 percent share in the market and were at the second spot. The new management strategies introduced by SpiceJet focuses on occupancy of the flight. As per the officials of the carrier, branding, improved revenue and pricing management and introduction of new routes are the key points behind sudden increase in the number of fliers with the carrier.

SpiceJet Booking along with Share Price Rise in the Current Quarter

The low-cost carrier (LCC), SpiceJet, has marked its presence in the Indian market quite evidently. Financial reports of this Sun Group-owned company show an upward graph since its inception in 2005. It has offices in several states with registered office in Chennai and the corporate office in Gurgaon. With a fleet size of over 55 aircraft, the carrier serves more than 19 per cent of total fliers of the nation. The airline has been declared as the third largest service provider of Indian aviation industry as per Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) reports for the second quarter. After analysis, it has been found that unparalleled services at lowest air fare and increased capacity are important reasons behind increase in the market share of this LCC.

The rise in market share has lead to increase in its share prices in recent months. Apart from this LCC, its competitors have also gained new fliers as a result of the expansion of the whole industry, which has given a boost to GoAir, Air India and IndiGo online booking as well. SpiceJet suffered loss in previous few quarters, but has come out of that phase brilliantly, and now gained an operating profit of around INR 9 crores in June. By far, over 13 lakhs shares have been traded in the BSE counter, which were 55.82 in the last quarter.

It registered a growth of 3.51 per cent, which has marked highest price of INR 12.40 SpiceJet shares. Introduction of new marketing strategies, restructuring of network, fleet size and capacity rationalisation have yielded a positive figure in the operating profit over the years. It replaced Air India from the third spot in the ranking order with a tremendous increase in SpiceJet booking, and is the second largest airline of the country in terms of domestic passenger share.

AirAsia India Announces Discount in a bid to offer Cheapest Domestic Flights

AirAsia India, a new entrant in the Indian domestic sector, is offering a 20 per cent discount on all its routes, for a limited period. The airline headed by AirAsia Berhad and Tata Sons has recently announced about the discount scheme. This discount will be available for the period of six days from its announcement. Under the scheme, fliers will be able to purchase tickets from various categories at 20 per cent less airfare. The included routes include Bengaluru to Kochi, Goa, Chennai and vice versa. Nowadays, almost all carriers are coming up with such offers like cheapest domestic flights in order to tackle the competition from their contemporaries. In upcoming days, this step can prove to be a positive decision for AirAsia India.

The travel period for which the scheme can be availed is up to December 14, 2014. At the time of entering the Indian market, the carrier assured people that their fares would be around 35 per cent cheaper than their contemporary rivals. Hence, it can be said that they are keeping up with their words. Some of the top officials of the carrier said in their official statement that they will always try to stand by their assurance. They are also trying to achieve their aim of enabling every Indian citizen to travel by air. They further added that this discount is a way of reciprocating the reliability of their customers towards them.

The airline is trying to make a good reputation for itself in the country through these schemes. As a matter of fact, it is proving to be a competition for other domestic carriers operating in the India. The low-cost carriers in India are expected to come up with such offers while fliers will have ample choices to choose from them, such as IndiGo domestic flights.

Getting Cheap Tickets on Last-minute Plans

Being the fastest mode of transportation, air travel is first choice of people planning for last-minute trips, especially for those who often take their backpack and start on a journey to new cities or lesser travelled places. Besides, there are a number of situations that force people to book a last-minute ticket, such as health emergency of friends or family or business meeting in another city. In such scenarios, people pay a significant amount in order to get these air tickets, irrespective of the distance to be travelled. For instance, Delhi Bangalore flights that take around three hours to reach the destination can be twice as expensive as it would have been if booked weeks before the journey date. Fliers can save money on these flight tickets by following the below-listed tips.

Preparation in Advance

A last-minute flight refers to reservations made one or two days before the travel date. In such cases, people get only a few opportunities to get a good deal, but those booking tickets on the date of journey have to depend on their luck or on the mercy of airlines. It may be called a last-minute ticket booking, but the preparation to get a low fare deal starts months before getting into such a situation. It is not possible to predict an uncertain event; hence, planning in advance may sound contradictory. However, to deal with these unforeseen situations, travellers can follow popular travel portals on social networking sites like Twitter, Facebook and Google Plus. These sites update offers and deals rolled out by different carriers on a regular basis. In addition, frequent travellers can register for subscriptions giving out daily, weekly or monthly news of changes in airfare.

Assistance of Travel Sites

There are a number of dedicated sites that provide information of airfare discount offers on such flights. Experienced travellers insist on checking these obvious sites before doing a thorough research. Even if they do not offer cheapest tickets, travellers can get an idea of the price range and different clauses involved in the reservation of a seat. Such websites usually cater a specific region; hence, have best chances of offering a cheap ticket.

Explore all the Options

Many cities are served by more than one airport that gives travellers the option to choose between any of them. The ticket prices also vary from one terminal to another; hence, frequent fliers suggest that before finalising a deal, it is important to explore all available options. It has been observed that larger airports are served by almost all low-cost carriers, which have more flexibility in their pricing, which helps in saving a substantial amount. It is a well-known fact that travelling on weekends is much more expensive than going to the same destination during weekdays. So, it is advisable to be flexible with time as well as day of travel, and selecting a deal that is much desirable. The bottom-line is that many-a-time people have to take the financial hit depending on the various reasons, but there are times, when these tips can handy. 

Experienced travelers advise that the fliers must book their ticket in advance for few busiest and famous destinations like flights to Delhi, Bangalore, Mumbai, Goa, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Pune to avoid the last minute headache.

Booking Flight Ticket in Advance

Air travel has not only become cheaper in the recent years, but has also undergone tremendous change in terms of security, facilities and workforce. With globalisation, a number of new entrants found their way into this industry, making it more competitive, which ultimately resulted in a plethora of options for travelers. For instance, there a number of Mumbai Goa flights, offered by various carriers at different prices. Not only domestic, but choices are plenty when it comes to inter-continental routes as well. Now, travellers get the opportunity to seal a great deal by selecting the best one for the preferred day and time. However, experienced travellers insist on booking advance tickets in order to save on air tickets.

Confusions Regarding Advance Period

The advance period for booking is always a topic of debate. Answer to the question – what should be the ideal advance period for reserving seats in flight – is subjective, and hence, has various answers to it. A number of researches and studies have been done to come up with a specific answer. After analysing them, it has been found that booking tickets before 6 to 24 weeks from the travel date ensures the best deal. So, travellers planning a holiday trip can start their research almost four months prior to the date of departure.

When to book Ticket

These reports give a broader picture, and it is possible that travelers get amazing deals by reserving seat for the required day, but had to pay more than expected. It may also happen that flight tickets are not available due to high traffic. So, researchers came up with a different approach in order to find the time, when tickets are usually cheaper. After studies and complex calculations, it has been found that booking a ticket before 40 days or so, gets a good deal on a flight ticket, if not the best. However, in case of an international flight, the advance period may range between 24 weeks to 82 days.

Holiday Season

Current trends show that 40 to 50 day prior booking offers best results in case of a domestic flight. However, it is not the thumb rule, and travelers can register themselves on travel portals to get the latest news or offers rolled out by carriers. They can also opt for SMS alert or follow dedicated sites on social networking sites to receive the news as and when released.

These statistics does not apply on busy travel periods like New Year or Christmas, when the seats are booked before months. Getting a ticket itself is a challenge for these seasons, and to get a discount deal is like winning a game of cards. Holiday destinations such as Goa are counted among hot spots to enjoy festivity, and hence, ticket prices shoot up twice as much as they are in normal time period. The best way to secure a seat in the festive season is to book as early as possible, irrespective of any research data or conclusion. People can get the best value of their hard earned money by not waiting until the last minute. Experienced travelers advised, book flights to Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Goa in advance, because it is very difficult to get the low fare flight for top domestic destinations in India.

SpiceJet Domestic Flights to Mysore on the Verge of Cancellation

SpiceJet is one of the fastest growing airlines of India. It recently replaced Air India – the flag carrier of the nation at the third position. It now provides services to around 19 percent of fliers travelling within the country. As per Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) reports, this low-cost carrier (LCC) gained almost 1.1 market share in the month of June, pushing it to 19, which was somewhere around 17.9 per cent in May. It currently operates over 350 daily flights catering almost 48 domestic and international destinations, with a fleet size of over 55 aircraft. The LCC has already placed a bulk order for over 40 737-8 Max model with Boeing.

The rainfall of offers and cheap air tickets domestic offered by the carrier has helped it a lot in gaining and retaining its fliers. The official reports suggest that it has gained a significant number of fliers on non-metro routes like Patna, and Mysore. However, as per recent reports, the carrier is planning to stop providing its services to Mysore airport from September. This may lead to shutting down of the airport, and Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation of India is planning to meet the executives of the airline to have a discussion over this decision.

It is the only commercial airline providing its services to the city; hence, the decision to suspend SpiceJet domestic flights could affect thousands of fliers in the region. It has been found that high-fuel charge in the region is one of the biggest reasons behind this decision take by this LCC. When compared to other places, the aviation turbine fuel prices are almost 29 per cent higher in Mysore. The government has assured that a thorough inspection will be done to find out the reasons of this price hike, followed by a meeting with the SpiceJet officials scheduled on Sunday.

Celebrate Janmashtami in Vrindavan This Year, Courtesy: Cheapest Air Tickets

Janmashtami, an annual commemoration of the birth of Lord Krishna, is probably one of the most prominent festivals celebrated in India. Although it is celebrated widely across the country, it is the city of Vrindavan that draws maximum attention of tourists with its pompous festivities. Located just 15 km away from Mathura, this holy city marks the place where the Lord spent his childhood days. To witness the spectacle of this grand festival, you can avail cheapest air tickets to Agra and from there on, continue your journey to Vrindavan by road.

Janmashtami in Vrindavan

Situated on the banks of River Yamuna, the city is flooded with devotees in the month of August to witness the euphoric celebrations of the Janmashtami festival. The festivities in the city start much more before the actual day of the event and are accompanied by various plays and rasleelas staged at different places. It is quite a spectacle to see professional artists enacting various episodes from the life of the Lord.

There are around 5000 temples in this city, each of which has its own significance in the folklore. However, it is the temple of Bankey Bihari, popularly known as Madhuban, which attracts maximum crowd during the festival. 

Temple of Bankey Bihari (Madhuban)

It is believed that Madhuban is the same place where Lord Krishna used to play with His beloved gopis some 50 centuries ago. Other popular temples in the area that are worth a visit during the festive celebrations include - 

Rangnathji Temple -

Shri Krishna Balram Temple -

Madan Mohan Temple -

Radharaman Temple -

Prem Temple -

Krishna Janmabhumi Mathura -

Govardhan Temple -

With thousands of devotees expecting to throng Vrindavan, where the celebrations will begin in less than a month, it is strongly advisable for interested travellers to book the air tickets now. The various online travel portals allow travellers to compare prices of several airlines, check schedule, book cheap flights and plan the itinerary as per their choice.

GoAir Booking Witnessing Traffic Increase by 21 Per Cent

GoAir is a leading low-cost carrier (LCC) of India based in Mumbai, operating under the aviation foray of the Wadia Group. It serves over 20 cities of the country with almost 100 daily flights. This LCC keeps introducing discounts and offers on online air ticket booking to attract fliers from all across the country. It also introduced a number of new routes in its offerings, which has resulted in its increased traffic. The airline also gained significant market share, reaching a new high of around 10 percent in this quarter, as per the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) reports.

The officials, in a report have given out the information that its passenger traffic grew by over 21 per cent – from 1.4 million to approximately 1.7 million – in this quarter. Further, it was revealed that the carrier carried around 6 lakh passengers in the month of June, which was 4.5 lakhs, last year in the same month. The addition of flights to non-metro routes is one of the significant reasons behind increase in the traffic, as stated by the company. The CEO, Giorgio De Roni, told that the company made a profit of more than INR 100 crores on revenue of around INR 3000 crores, in the financial year 2013, and followed the same trend this year.

It also registered a record departure of over 2000 last year after introducing flights to Nagpur, Pune and Kolkata. In June, the carrier experienced a positive growth and the numbers are looking promising. Commenting on the rising market share, the CEO said that a new approach to resource deployment, almost 70 per cent of the flights serving Goa, Pune, Nagpur, Patna and Srinagar, has proved to be beneficial for them. All these factors are the reasons behind the upsurge in GoAir booking in recent months.

Foreign Direct Investment for IndiGo Flight

IndiGo is the largest low-cost carrier of India, with a market share of over 30 per cent. This Gurgaon-based carrier is not only leading the Indian domestic market, but is also growing at a fast pace on the global platform. It is among the rare carriers that have consistency in posting profits in different fiscal quarters. Initiated by two young entrepreneurs, the airline is a part of InterGlobe Enterprises, and aims at providing cheap airline tickets and top-notch facilities to its passengers. The company operates over 500 daily flights, catering to more than 35 destinations with a fleet size of 78 aircraft. It is looking forward to the expansion by restructuring of the shareholding, and as per reports, the company is preparing for yet another initial public offering (IPO) and inflow of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).

FDI is made by a company or an individual of a country other than the home country either by extending business operations or purchasing shares of an existing company. However, there are certain rules that need to be adhered while taking such decisions. This sort of investment increases in-flow of resources, resulting in growth and prosperity of business. As per industry reports, the parent company of IndiGo, InterGlobe is also looking forward to such an investment, which may have a positive impact on IndiGo flight ticket prices in coming future.

As per Government of India guidelines, a foreign airline can invest up to 49 percent in equity of a domestic carrier. It is expected that the carrier may raise around $400 million, and will soon discuss the scenario with Foreign Investment Promotion Board of India (FIPB). Qatar Airways, almost a month back expressed interest in investing its resources in this LCC. However, it is still doubtful if the FDI is coming through an airline or any other channel, and it will be cleared only after the IndiGo-FIPB meeting scheduled in the month of August.