Increased Online Air Ticket Booking Options with Emirates

Emirates – one of the two flag carriers of United Arab Emirates – is the fourth largest of the world, on the basis of passenger kilometres. It operates as a subsidiary of The Emirates Group – owned by the Dubai Investment Corporation. The carrier has been acknowledged for offering top-notch services to passengers and was ranked at the 8th spot for Airline of the Year award.  In addition to this, it has also been rated as a 4-star airline by Skytrax. Currently, it operates more than 3500 flights every day to serve around 140 destinations in the world. Recently, it announced the launch of its 13th flight on Kolkata-Dubai route. Now, travellers can make use of this new option added in the online air ticket booking list of the Emirates.

As per reports, these new flights are expected to commence from March 29, 2015. Air ticket booking online for the same may start a few weeks before the launch, for the convenience of travellers who plan their trips weeks in advance. This flight has been launched by the airline to celebrate the completion of its 9 years of operation, to and from this Indian city. It started operations in this city on March 26, 2006. Addition in the number of flights to Kolkata shows high demand on this route. After this addition, the number of flights operated by the carrier will go up to 186 every week connecting 10 cities of India, namely, Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Kozhikode, Kochi, Hyderabad, Chennai, Thiruvananthapuram and Ahmedabad.

Apart from this, the airline is also planning to deploy Boeing 777-200ER on this route. Now, travellers can enjoy a lavish travel experience in flights to Kolkata by making booking in the First Class service offered by the airline. This service class has been acknowledged by industry experts for its flawless services, latest amenities and beautiful décor. For a unique experience, travellers can opt for the First Class while making online air ticket booking with this carrier. Boeing 777-200ER with a capacity to carry 274 passengers includes 220, 42 and 12 Economy, Business and First Class seats, respectively.

Improved Air India Booking and On-time Performance with 100 Co-pilot Hiring

The national carrier of India – Air India – is one of the largest service providers in the country. It operates a mixed fleet of 100 Airbus and Boeing models and serves over 90 domestic and international destinations. Most of its flights are operated and monitored from its primary and secondary hubs at Chhatrapati Shivaji and Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and Chennai International Airports. This airline had its international hub at Frankfurt Airport, but is now planning to set up it up at Dubai International Airport. In addition to this, the carrier is under the process of introducing a number of other major changes at both; the managerial and operational level, in order to increase Air India booking. As per recent reports, it may hire around 100 Airbus co-pilots to improve its on-time performance.

800 Cabin Crew Members

Air India recently issued a notification to hire 800 cabin crew members to improve its operational efficiency. An internal report of the company mentioned shortage of pilots as well cabin crew that affected the on-time performance of the flights operated by this airline. Its impact was observed on Air India booking as well. In order to overcome this issue, the company is planning to recruit new resources, which includes 125 to 150 pilots. These pilots are being hired for the Airbus fleet owned by the company.

In addition to this, the carrier is also rolling out alluring offers to attract fliers. It recently announced a heavy discount on flights to Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi, Jaipur, Lucknow, Bangalore and many other cities of the country to fill seats of its flights, scheduled to be operated in the lean season. As per industry experts, travellers do not plan a trip in the months of January, February and March, as not many big occasions are coincided in this period. Hence, carriers roll out such compelling offers in order to increase load factor in these times. It is expected that the impact of these changes and offers can be seen on Air India booking as well as performance of its flights.

Book SpiceJet Domestic Airlines Tickets at 2999

The Sun Group-owned carrier – SpiceJet – is all set to take over the Indian aviation market. After dealing with the financial crisis, it has showered discounts and schemes on domestic and international fares. These offers announced by this low-cost carrier (LCC) started fare war in the market. In an attempt to tackle this price based competition, the cost of other domestic airlines tickets was also slashed. After offering flight seats at INR 599, SpiceJet is now offering One Stop Sale. Under this, travellers can book flight tickets at INR 2999 (all-inclusive).

Details of SpiceJet Offer

This SpiceJet offer is available on domestic flights only, and has been launched for a limited time. As mentioned above, all inclusive fares for several direct and via flights starts at INR 2999. It is not applicable on group bookings, and prices on different routes and sectors may vary on the basis of travel distance. For instance, the cost of Bangalore Delhi flights can be higher than Agartala to Delhi, as the distance between former two cities is more than the latter ones. The booking under this scheme is open now, and will end on February 22, 2015. People planning a short getaway trip or looking forward to a long due homecoming can plan their travel between February 26 and April 15, 2015. Holi – one of the most celebrated Hindu festival – also coincides in these travel dates. Hence, students or people who are living away from their families can book these cheap domestic airlines tickets to go back to their homes.

The inventory under this scheme is limited, and is served on the first-come-first-serve-basis. Hence, it is advised that travellers make reservations as soon as possible. The Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) of the company said that they are this offer gives an opportunity to travellers to book tickets at an attractive price for metro as well as non-metro cities. Apart from Chennai-Mumbai and Bangalore Delhi flights, people can avail benefits of this scheme on routes like Coimbatore to Rajahmundry, Chennai to Vijayawada, Agartala to Delhi, Dehradun to Jaipur and many other routes.

Bookings at INR 599 Under SpiceJet Flight Offers

The aviation industry has undergone significant changes in the past few years. Developing economies like India and China are emerging as two of the most lucrative markets in the aviation industry as per the International Aviation Transport Association (IATA). This is the reason that global carriers like AirAsia, Singapore Airlines and Etihad recently invested a huge sum of money in India. AirAsia India, launched a few months back, serves seven cities in the country, and is planning to operate flights from Delhi in March. This airline has been acknowledged by industry experts for its cheap flight offers. Earlier, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the company said that they will focus their operation on small cities. However now, it is planning to expand its business on metro routes as well, and travellers can avail these cost-efficient tickets on Delhi-Goa and Bengaluru routes.

Current Plans

As per reports, after the commencement of flights to Delhi, the carrier is expecting the delivery of its sixth aircraft in May. As soon as this new model joins the fleet of the airline, it may announce wee hours on Pune and Jaipur routes. Currently, wee hour flights to Delhi and Mumbai are operated by most of the carriers, and this new change can attract a number of new fliers. This airline is generating positive cash back as it focuses on keeping the cost of operations low and flight occupancy high. It will follow the same strategy in the coming months till new changes are not introduced in the industry. In addition to this, the reduction in Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) also helped the carrier in announcing cheap flight offers on various routes. Initially, the airline had decided not to fly to Delhi and Mumbai due to high costs but changed its plans. Now along with catering to the niche market, the carrier is also trying to capitalise on popular routes. It is planning to increase its fleet up to 11 by the end of 2015, and increase the connectivity between different cities of the country.

Other New Announcements

Apart from AirAsia, SpiceJet also announced new flights to Delhi in March. The Sun Group-owned low-cost carrier has announced two daily flights form Varanasi to Delhi on March 1, 2015. Now people who travel quite often from the holy city to the capital city of India can avail these new services. This introductory one of all the flight offers is available at INR 2437, inclusive of all taxes. The morning and evening flight to Delhi from Varanasi allows travellers to return on the same day. It is beneficial for business people, who cannot afford a longer stay at one place. The Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) of the company said that the company will also change its summer schedule in order to attract more fliers.

SpiceJet has recently recovered from a crisis, and is all geared up to tackle the competition in the market. It recently announced its valentine sale and offered seats at as low as INR 599 for various destinations of the country. Apart from this, a number of managerial changes have also been introduced in the company. After a board meeting, the ownership of the company has been transferred to Ajay Singh from Kalanithi Maran. It is expected that these aforementioned offers may help the carrier in generating high revenue that will further assist it in regaining its lost status.

Air India Flight with Improved On-time Performance

The state-owned airline – Air India (AI) – enjoyed a monopoly in the Indian skies for years and owned more than 50 per cent share in the Indian subcontinent. Currently, it serves around 90 destinations all across the globe by operating hundreds of flights every day. The high class in-flight amenities and flawless services offered by this carrier have been acknowledged by a number of industry watchers and critics, over the years. However, due to fog and severe weather in the past few months, the on-time performance (OTP) of Air India flight dropped. It has been recently asked by the Ministry of Civil Aviation of the country to improve its OTP for the convenience of travellers.

Operations of this carrier are now monitored every day, and it has been asked to show 85 per cent accuracy as far as timings and cancellations are concerned. As per reports, the flag carrier is expected to achieve this target within a month. After achieving 85 per cent accuracy, it is expected to operate 90 per cent of all its flights on time as per the turnaround plan. An AI official said that the company is doing requirements to meet the shortage of crew members at busier airports as it emerged as one of the important reasons of the delay. Now, be it flights to Port Blair, Pantnagar, Delhi or Mumbai, the chances are that they will be operated on time. Both Air India and Jet Airways are now introducing new managerial strategies in order to deal with the competition posed by the recently launched airline – Vistara.

In addition to this quality check, the national airline is also planning a fleet restructuring in the coming future. The use of new and more efficient aircraft will help it reducing the current operational cost, giving it an edge over competitors. The blueprint of the plan has been approved by officials of the AI, and its execution may start in the coming months. These changes will ensure that fliers enjoy a better and more efficient flying experience. This also helps in reducing the demand for manpower as new aircraft are equipped with the latest technologies and control system.

How to Purchase Cheap Airline Tickets?

There are a number of ways of getting cheap airline tickets and booking them online is the easiest way. People can compare offers and discounts rolled out by various carriers without any hassle on the internet. It is a time consuming as well as chaotic experience to remember details of flights and inquire about them at the physical reservation counter. All these information can be checked on laptops or mobile phones with an internet connection. In addition to this, they can also avail special deals extended by online travel agencies (OTAs). This is the reason that online flight seat reservation is emerging as the best method for air ticket booking. As per industry reports, more than 50 per cent bookings are done online as it helps travellers in making their trip economical. Those who are new to online reservation services can go through the following tips to get the best deal available for their desired destination.

Checking Basic Information

Basic information includes departure and destination city, date of travel and suitable timings. For the convenience of people, many travel portals feature filter for these criteria. People just need to provide these inputs and all the possible options are displayed on the screen. Those with specific choices like preferred airlines or routes can use filters to customize the results.

Exploring Options

Travellers, who need to attend important meetings or social gatherings on a specified date, are not left with many options. However those, who are planning a vacation or leisure trip, can shuffle their travel dates or timings of flights. Many times, it has been observed that the cost of flight ticket on the same route is different in the morning, afternoon and at night. For instance, Delhi Goa flights are costlier in the day, but comparatively cheap early morning or late night. People often have office work or classes on weekdays; hence, they prefer travelling on weekends. This is the reason that the cost of making reservation for flights scheduled on Friday, Saturday and Sunday is high as compared to other days of the week. Hence, leisure travellers can check the cost of airline tickets a few days before and after the decided date of the journey.

Further Discounts

After deciding which flight to book, travellers can check the cost of the same on various OTAs. The manpower is less in this case as most of the processes are automated in case of internet bookings; hence, the cost of making reservation is also low. In addition to this, the transaction is transparent and efficient as no middlemen are involved in this case. These agencies also offer further 10 to 20 per cent discount or coupon for absolute of INR 100 to 500 deductions in the total cost of the ticket.

Apart from these discounts, there are many financial banks that reward people for using their services. These rewards can be in the form of cashback, a certain per cent of discount or gift voucher for the next purchase. It has been observed that such offers are usually available on credit cards and hence travellers can use these options and make their travel trip even more economical. As many OTAs offer hotel bookings as well as packages apart from air ticket booking, it allows them to come up with the cheapest flight and hotel packages.

Domestic Flight Offers for Valentine Day

Travel industry witnesses a rise in its demand during festive seasons or special occasions. For instance, the number of air ticket bookings doubled or tripled during Diwali, Dussehra or New Year. To attract fliers, carriers come up with a number of domestic flight offers and discounts. SpiceJet has recently announced its Valentine Day offer. Under this, travellers can book domestic flight tickets for INR 1599 for many domestic destinations. After meeting financial challenges, this is the first offer rolled out by this Sun Group-owned low-cost carrier (LCC).

Current Status of SpiceJet

Now, flights to Goa, Mumbai and Delhi can be booked at discounted prices for travel dates falling between February 15 and April 15. The chief commercial officer of the airline said that the company is looking towards good results with this offer. It has been rolled out to celebrate the confidence bestowed on the carrier by the government, financial institutions and fliers. A few weeks before launching this scheme, the approval of the proposal to transfer of shares owned by Kalanithi Maran and his KAL Airways Private Limited to Ajay Singh was another big change in the management. Ajay Singh was co-founder of the company. It is expected that these revival plans will leave a positive impact on the business of this carrier, by pushing it on the right track.

Launch of New Flights

In addition to this, there is another good news for fliers. Vistara recently announced launch of its operation on two new routes; Hyderabad and Goa. As per reports, flights to Goa and Hyderabad will be commenced from February 20 and March 1, 2015, respectively. Apart from launching these new operations, it will also add capacity on the existing ones. The number of flights operated by Vistara will go up to 164 from 68, after these two new destinations are added in the list. This recently launched airline started its operations on January 9, 2015. The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the airline said the company is delighted to announce these expansions and expects to benefit from the great potential that both these cities have to offer. He also mentioned that this step will help the carrier in strengthening its position in the market.

Low-cost Delhi Dhaka Flights with Airbus A320Neos

In the recent past, aviation industry has grown in India by leaps and bounds. It was because between 2004 and 2005, many low-cost carriers (LCCs) entered into the market, in a bid to make air travel available to as many people as possible in the country. Before their foray into this sector, only the full-service airlines operated in the nation. With the coming of LCCs and the trend of low cost flights, the aviation industry in the nation saw an enormous boom. As a result, many important airports across the country were either, modernized or expanded to cater to the needs of both the carriers as well to serve the demand for air service to more people.

Positive Impacts 

The greatest benefit of this change has been for travellers, who now have a greater choice of airlines, flight timings and destinations to choose from. Most LCCs often operate to destinations, where others do not, in order to gain a wider passenger base and generate more profits. This has also led to the development of certain previously underdeveloped regions or cities in India due to increased transport connectivity. Not only are these places seeing industrial development, but also there is a significant increase in the number of tourists travelling there. Its effects are also beginning to be seen on full-service airlines as they too have started offering tickets at relatively lesser prices to compete.

Negative Impacts 

Like most things, low-cost aviation has had negative effects too, along with positive ones. The most obvious of them has been environment-related as the increase in aircraft movement has led to more fuel consumption that has further led to an increase in air pollution. Another potential damage that rising jet fuel consumption could lead to is increase in the prices of air tickets. This can happen for two main reasons: decline in resources and heightened expenditure. Air turbine fuel is made by refining crude oil; the reserves of which are fast declining. As the resources are thin, its prices will increase and that can prompt airlines to increase their booking costs as well. Most carriers spend about 40 per cent of their total revenue on buying fuel for their aircraft, and if they somehow witness losses owing to competition they may again raise their fares.

Remedy and Future

While search for alternative sources for powering aircraft goes on, there is one thing that most LCCs have considered. It is to steadily ask passengers to pay less and at the same time, to reduce pollution, they need to modify their fleet. Major Indian LCCs, including IndiGo and GoAir have started ordering the lesser-polluting Airbus A320Neos.

This particular aircraft is especially good for them as due to its narrow-bodied frame and an all-Economy seating arrangement, it can carry up to 20 passengers more than its predecessors. This will translate into fewer operations, amounting to roughly 15 per cent less fuel consumption. IndiGo and GoAir have placed substantial orders for the A320Neos and once they are delivered, they may be utilized to operate on some routes that have not yet been explored. These carriers continue to expand their reach and Delhi Dhaka flights could be launched by them as these are two important Asian destinations, and people look to travel to and from them, regularly. 

Changes in Jet Konnect Ticket Booking

Jet Airways is one of the leading full-service airlines of India, serving over 70 global and domestic destinations with the help of its low-cost wing Jet Konnect. The airline is going through the process of turn around in order to deal with the competition. Now, people will be able to experience the comfort of full service by making Jet Konnect ticket booking. The goal of the carrier is to operate under a single brand name, and soon services of its subsidiary will also be provided with the name Jet Airways. As per industry experts, this step will allow travellers to identify the carrier easily and remove all sorts of confusion.

It was observed that fliers were confused regarding the name of the service provider, and many did not know that both operators work under the same company. The announcement regarding market re-positioning was made by the airline back in August 2014. It immediately started aligning and streamlining its operations in the country under a single brand in order to provide high-quality services consistently. Now, complimentary meals are included in the in-flight amenities provided on all domestic routes including Delhi to Mumbai, Jaipur to Varanasi and Aizawl Imphal flights. As per reports, 11 aircraft were serving under the brand name Jet Konnect that will be changed in the coming months. Names on these models will be repainted for the sake of uniformity. As far as memberships are considered, members of JetPrivilege will be eligible for JPMiles, and will now get benefits as per the structure designed for full-service operations. Industry watchers are of the opinion that the carrier is undergoing these significant changes to deal with the competition that reached to a new level with the entrance of Vistara in the industry.

Vistara – the Tata and Singapore Airlines (SIA) joint venture – recently received the Air Operator Permit (AOP), and opened bookings for Delhi, Mumbai and Ahmedabad routes. It is planning to expand its network in the country, and its target markets are the smaller towns of the country. As per reports, the pricing strategy of this new operator is attractive. It is believed that by introduction of the new Premium Economy Class in the country, it will attract fliers who can pay a bit extra for more comfort. For Jet Konnect Vistara will be nearest competitor which will offer better bargain power to travellers in low cost airlines segment.

New Options to be Added in GoAir Ticket Booking List

The aviation foray of the Wadia Group, GoAir is a leading low-cost carrier (LCC) of India. It has been providing economical services to the country since 2005, and has expanded exponentially. Currently, the GoAir ticket booking list features around 23 destinations of the country, including a number of Tier I and II cities. It operates over 900 flights every week from its hubs at Chhatrapati Shivaji and Indira Gandhi International Airports. The carrier recently received its 20th aircraft and is now planning to commence its global operations. As per one of the clauses of aviation rules in India, carriers have to complete five years of operation and own at least 20 models before initiating international operations.

In addition to this, the carrier is also planning to raise funds through foreign direct investment (FDI), as per reports. Commencing new operations may require a lot of funding, and FDI will help the carrier in meeting new fund demands. It is one of the rare airlines that posted profits throughout the year, even when other operators posted crores of loss. As per reports, it recorded a profit of around INR 100 crores in 2013 and 2014 financial year, and may continue the trend in 2015. Recent changes in the Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) will help the airline in adding a few more zeros in profits. The infusion of new fund may add a number of other domestic options as well such as Belgaum to Delhi and Khajuraho Varanasi flights.

The chief executive officer (CEO) of the LCC said that the process of raising money may take some time as it may involve meeting interested parties and going through each proposal. He also added that the airline is in no hurry of funding as it is currently focusing on its international business. It is expected that these new services will be launched in second quarter of the 215, and currently it is considering Gulf destinations or other cities that can be reaches in three hour and 15 minutes. It will deploy around 13 per cent of its capacity on international routes as domestic market is also important for them. Gradually, the LCC may add flights after observing its performance and demand on these routes.

Cheap Flights to Thiruvananthapuram and Other Domestic Destinations

The Indian aviation industry underwent several changes in the past few decades that made it a better and efficient market place. A number of global operators are interested in setting up their base in the country and recently Malaysia-based AirAsia entered in the market, followed by the Tata – Singapore Airlines joint venture – Vistara. The former one initially targeted the niche market and launched operations to and from South Indian cities like flights to Thiruvananthapuram, Chennai and Bangalore. However, now it is planning to expand the business and may soon be adding new cities in its booking list. On the other hand, Vistara will start operations in the New Year with flights to Delhi, Mumbai and Ahmedabad.

Other cities of the country will soon be added in the booking list as soon as the carrier receives the due delivery of 18 more aircraft. It purchased 20 Airbus models on lease, including Neos and only two of them have been delivered so far. In addition, this full-service airline may also initiate global operations in the coming months as the aviation authorities of the country are planning to remove the 5/20 article. As per the 5/20 rule, carriers have to operate for at least five years and own 20 aircraft in order to commence international business. If the government removes this barrier, the Tata-owned operator may launch Bangkok, Malaysia, Singapore and Paro Delhi flights, as these destinations are among favourite tourist spots around the country.

As far as domestic plans are considered, the carrier is planning to operate 87 flights, connecting Goa, Delhi, Chandigarh, Mumbai, Srinagar, Ahmedabad, Patna and Hyderabad. As per reports, the first maiden flight between Delhi and Mumbai will be launched on 9th of January, 2015. Industry watchers believe that this joint venture will bring some significant changes in the market, the first among them is introduction of the Premium Economy Class. In addition to this, the experience of the Tata Group in corporate world along with expertise of Singapore Airlines in the aviation industry may help this airline in quickly grasping the market share. As per reports, it has innovative pricing strategies that offer unique flying experience at economical costs.