Air-ticket prices crash, Jet, IA fly head to head

The fare war between Indian Airlines and Jet Airways brought good news for the consumers today as both announced a massive reduction — ...

The fare war between Indian Airlines and Jet Airways brought good news for the consumers today as both announced a massive reduction — more than 50 per cent, in some cases — in ticket prices. Both schemes are operational from August 1 to October 31.

The first shot was fired by Jet, which reduced its economy-class fares on major sectors to match those on upper class railway travel under its new initiative, called ‘‘Everyone Can Fly’’.

The sectors include Delhi-Mumbai, Delhi-Kolkata, Delhi-Chennai, Delhi-Pune, Delhi-Hyderabad and Delhi-Bangalore. The fares were also reduced for flights originating from other metros.

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These included Chennai-Kolkata, Chennai-Trivandrum, Kolkata-Guwahati, Kolkata-Bagdogra, Mumbai-Chennai, Mumbai-Bangalore and Mumbai-Udaipur.

Under the scheme, a Delhi-Mumbai ticket will cost Rs 3920 instead of Rs 6095, a Delhi-Kolkata ticket Rs 2860 in place of Rs 6925, Delhi-Chennai Rs 3292 instead of Rs 8960, and Delhi-Ahmedabad ticket Rs 2462 compared with Rs 4780.

IA immediately responded by introducing APEX fares, an advance purchase scheme on select domestic sectors in economy class for travel during the same period. Tickets under this scheme would have to be purchased at least 21 days in advance before flight departure.

Minister of civil aviation Syed Shahnawaz Hussain said that IA would be matching the Jet fares. The capacity too would be increased, anticipating a rush for bookings, he added.

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The sectors covered under the scheme include Mumbai-Ahmedabad, Mumbai-Bangalore, Mumbai-Kozhikode, Mumbai-Delhi, Mumbai-Hyderabad, Mumbai-Kolkata, Mumbai-Jaipur, Mumbai-Trivandrum, Delhi-Pune, Delhi-Ahmedabad, Delhi-Bangalore, Delhi-Kolkata, Delhi-Jammu, Kolkata-Bangalore, Kolkata-Bagdogra, Kolkata-Guwahati, Chennai-Kozhikode, Chennai-Coimbatore, Chennai-Trivandrum and Hyderabad-Ahmedabad.