| Things have changed dramatically in air travel in | | | | ground or in the air. For example, as the seat |
| the last few years as far as India is concerned. | | | | number is done away with there is always a mad |
| Once upon a time flying was possible only for | | | | rush just like a local bus or train inside the cabin |
| privileged few but that scenario is now a thing of | | | | during boarding. It is tougher to allocate resources |
| the past. | | | | for betterment of service for the low cost |
| Air Deccan has spearheaded the transformation | | | | carriers as the revenue is lower but the biggest |
| of converting air travel into an affordable option | | | | blunder for the cause of revenue woe and |
| for the huge middle class of our country. Air | | | | resource crunch is the Re. 1 fare which was |
| Deccan started its service in August 2003 and | | | | pioneered by Air Deccan. |
| just in 4 years there and today there are at least | | | | Air Deccan announced the Re. 1 fare for some |
| another half a dozen low cost carriers | | | | kind of marketing gimmick but unfortunately they |
| crisscrossing the Indian skies. The notable of them | | | | are caught into the trap. Emulating Air Deccan |
| are Spice Jet, Go Air and Indigo. | | | | other new low cost carriers are too offering |
| The low cost carriers has not only become a | | | | these insanely low fares and no doubt consumers |
| boon for the middle class but it has also helped air | | | | are lapping them up. But this has actually become |
| passengers across the board as full service airlines | | | | a big headache for the budget airlines. |
| have been compelled to reorganize their pricing | | | | Instead of just cutting down the frills they went |
| structure and stay attractive for passengers who | | | | too far with the gimmick which is costing them |
| are constantly looking for better deals. So | | | | dearly. In 2006 X'mas Air Deccan issued 2 lacs Rs. |
| therefore the market is flooded with lots of | | | | 2 tickets and they may be they have issued |
| offers from leading full service carriers like Jet | | | | several lacs Re. 1 and Rs. 2 tickets till date. You |
| Airways, Air Sahara, Kingfisher and Indian. They | | | | need not be an aviation analyst but common |
| range from credit card cash back to free hotel | | | | sense suggests that even many large international |
| room to fly your spouse free and what not. | | | | airlines will go bust if they are to fly two hundred |
| Despite the rise of aviation fuel over the years | | | | thousand passengers free of cost. |
| the average ticket price has gone down. The full | | | | I feel that the low cost carriers need to rethink |
| service airlines are also offering early bird | | | | the strategy. First of all Indian consumers don't |
| discounts to optimize capacity utilization. Many a | | | | want a ticket for Re. 1 or Rs. 2, they want |
| times if you book early at least a month in | | | | respect. In this price you cannot even get a pedal |
| advance you may get cheaper price in Jet | | | | rickshaw ride anywhere in India so this does not |
| Airways than that of Air Deccan. | | | | go well with an air passenger's ego. |
| So far so good for consumers but will the party | | | | Instead of gimmick it is better to have a kind of |
| last? The answer lies how far the low cost airlines | | | | uniform and realistic low pricing by cutting on frills |
| can position themselves as dependable for the | | | | and making the low cost carriers a differentiated |
| purpose of travel. Air Deccan has publicly | | | | service aimed at people with business sense who |
| proclaimed several times that their competition is | | | | would like to pay a just amount for a point to |
| with the railways and not other airlines which is | | | | point safe and comfortable transit. When this is |
| definitely very tempting to the budget travelers. | | | | done I think passengers will find better value to |
| But the general experience with the leading low | | | | fly with low cost carriers and they will stay loyal |
| cost carrier is not always so positive. There are | | | | too. |
| numerous reviews and blogs written by | | | | One thing one should not forget is that, even if |
| passengers in product review websites which tells | | | | the passengers are paying Re.1 they are not |
| horrible experiences of people who took a flight | | | | going to be kind when their flights are canceled |
| with this airline and this kind of feedback is not | | | | and baggages delayed. I have witnessed chaos |
| only Air Deccan specific but also abundant for | | | | and angry exchanges between customers and |
| other low cost carriers. The consumers are not | | | | staff several times at the counters of Air Deccan |
| complaining for the catering or the lack of | | | | and other low cost carriers in various airports and |
| attractive female cabin crew but for basic facilities | | | | simply these tell us the customer satisfaction level |
| and requirements that they expect from an airline. | | | | of these airlines. |
| The most serious problem dogging the low cost | | | | So in the long term the free flights are not going |
| airlines is their poor public image. They are not | | | | to help the low cost carriers sustain in business, |
| perceived as dependable because of the very | | | | they have to deliver what other airlines deliver |
| high incidence of flight cancellations and delays. | | | | sans the frill. |
| Most of the time there is a chaos whether on | | | | |