TNI Bureau: IndiGo and Jet Airways, which provide air services at cheaper rate, had charged higher fares in several sectors on many routes than all other carriers in July when airfare had dropped.
According to the data by the aviation regulatory body DGCA, IndiGo, Jet Airways and its no-frills arm JetKonnect had charged an average of about 10-15 per cent higher airfare than other airlines in July.
The DGCA report said that there was an overall drop in airfare in July, the lean travel month as compared to June.
The airfares had dropped in 37 out of 48 sectors, mostly to non-metro Tier-II and Tier-III cities. However, the report did not say the routes on which the airlines had carried most of their passengers.
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The DGCA said that IndiGo charged Rs 9,425 as compared to the industry average of Rs 8,361 on Delhi-Dibrugarh route, while its fare on Delhi-Dabolim (Goa) route was Rs 7,836 as compared to the industry average of Rs 7,625. However, the highest drop in airfare was recorded on Delhi- Gorakhpur route by Rs 6.3 a kilometre. The highest increase was recorded at an average of Rs. 2.1 per km on Mumbai-Nanded sector.
Jet Airways had charged Rs 12,001 and JetKonnect Rs 12,621 on Leh-Delhi sector, while the Air India fare on this route had charged Rs 10,948.
Similarly, Jet Airways had charged Rs 10,377 on Port Blair-Delhi route as compared to Air India’s Rs 8,027 and industry average of Rs 9,182.
It has to be noted that the high airfare is the major reason for the steepest fall in the aviation industry in past 7 years. While airline officials blame the fuel hike for the high airfare, the industry is losing the air passenger traffic growth.
It probably is not the cheapest but if we consider the service, hospitality and reach of the airlines along with ticket prices, which might not be the cheapest but is not the costliest as well, then Indigo for sure becomes the number one airlines in India.