Airlines cut fares to beat monsoon woes

At a time when airlines are struggling to make both ends meet, reduction in fare from the carriers comes as a shocker. Airlines have introduced low fares to increase yield per passenger. The motive behind reducing fares, say industry observers, is to stimulate air travel when business and leisure travel take a backseat during the monsoons.

Air India has set the trend by introducing fares as low as Rs 2,429 on the Delhi-Mumbai route. Fares on short-distance sectors start at Rs 1,979. Air-tickets with these special fares can be purchased between June 27 and July 3 for travel before September 15. Ironically, the carrier has recently requested its higher rung executives to forgo salary for July and has also taken initiatives to curtail monthly operating costs.

Private carrier Jet Airways, which reported losses of Rs 961 crore for FY08-09, has also brought down its fares to Rs 2,000 on Mumbai-Hyderabad sector which otherwise was priced over Rs 5,000. The carrier has downsized its staff and has also downgraded salaries of its employees to improve its financials.

Low-cost carrier SpiceJet has introduced low fares at Rs 1,600 for Mumbai-Jaipur flight for the next three months. These carriers had hiked their fuel surcharge by Rs 400, only a week ago, but reversed their decision.

Samyukta Sridharan, SpiceJet's chief commercial officer, while speaking at the conference in Mumbai, said, "We have special fare schemes to stimulate non-travellers to book tickets. The reduced fares encourage travellers to fly with us. However, passenger service fee and applicable airport charges are in addition to the prices." Says an executive from a carrier, "Seats on the aircraft are perishable commodities. Once the doors of the aircraft are closed, the empty seats do not have the potential to earn revenues. Carriers introduce fares to fill up those vacant seats during lean season."

Flying low

and#149;Air India has introduced fares as low as Rs 2,429 on the Delhi-Mumbai route

and#149;Jet Airways has brought down its fares to Rs 2,000 on theMumbai-Hyderabad sector

and#149;SpiceJet has introduced low fares at Rs 1,600 for Mumbai-Jaipur flight