Leading low-cost carriers IndiGo, AirAsia and SpiceJet have announced limited period, first-come-first-serve discount on airfares specially targeted for creating impulsive demand during the period when schools and colleges reopen.
With peak travel season coming to end by June, airlines, in order to keep the momentum going during the lean period ahead, have begun offering huge discounts on advance booking of airfares for travel from July.
Leading low-cost carriers IndiGo, AirAsia and SpiceJet have announced limited period, first-come-first-serve discount on airfares specially targeted for creating impulsive demand during the period when schools and colleges reopen.
SpiceJet, which has been leading the low-fare war among the airlines in India for the last couple of years, on Tuesday announced a three-day sale of tickets with domestic base fare starting at Rs511 and international base fare from Rs2,111. Company officials said the journey period for domestic travel is between June 15 and September 30, and for international travel from June 1 to July 20.
No sooner did SpiceJet announce its offer on full front page ads in national dailies, rival airline IndiGo came up with jaw-dropping fares on Jammu-Srinagar and Srinagar-Chandigarh routes. The ever popular Goa-Mumbai route has been priced at Rs924, while Ahmedabad-Mumbai at Rs1,050. Travel agents said the offer is valid for travel between July 4 and September 30.
Another low-cost carrier AirAsia has also announced a three-day sale beginning Monday with 50% discount for those wanting to travel between August 1 and November 30.
Commenting on the revival of fare war, marketing head of Expedia (India) Manmeet Ahluwalia said, "Airlines have been spoiling Indian travellers with regular discounts and airfare sales, especially during the holiday season.
This sale is timed very well as Indians are all set for summer vacations. We have seen a rise of 25% in flight bookings. Besides, these sales would also help in strengthening the trend for planning travel for short weekend holidays, including the one in August. These discounts help airlines to generate cash flow with the demand and the bookings increasing on the instant. Whatever your destination, you should start your planning now to discover great deals, sock away funds so that you can enjoy a memorable summer break in a locale you've always wanted to visit."
According to airline industry insiders, flights seats are perishable commodity and, hence, seats going vacant is revenue loss to the airline. That's why airlines offer huge discounts for triggering a demand and creating sufficient bookings for flights on future dates during the non-peak season.
"The advance bookings also bring a lot of cash for the airlines, which they use it for operations," said Iqbal Mulla, former president of Travel Agents Association of India, an association of over 2,000 travel agents across the country.
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