The Hindu : Indian Airlines turns 50

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Aug 02, 2003

National

National

Indian Airlines turns 50

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI AUG. 1. The Indian Airlines which today turns 50 is offering its customers attractive prizes. It has launched a `Fortune 50 offer' that comes with surprise prizes on 50 days, commencing August 1 to September 19 and `Executive Edge' to promote travel — for a limited period — on executive class and effect share shift from other carriers.

The total market capacity has increased by 34 per cent in the last five years but the airline's share in this has been negligible in the last two years, sources in the aviation sector said. The domestic market has distinct segments — business, leisure, frequent fliers, foreign tourists and corporate houses as entities separate from the individual traveller. The airline is framing segment specific promotional schemes, targeting each niche market. Once home to all domestic air travellers, it has seen its clientele moving to private carriers like Jet Airways and Air Sahara.

It started with as many as 99 aircraft, including 74 Dakotas, all earlier owned by small private airlines, which were nationalised in the early 50s and amalgamated into a single carrier. Then it carried about three lakh passengers in the first half of 1953 and now it carries about seven million in a year.

While waiting for the Government approval for acquiring 43 aircraft to expand its fleet, the airline plans to focus on improving its services both inflight and ground.

It recently inducted two new batches of airhostesses and firmed up training schedules for the cabin crew. Human resources development initiatives would be taken to re-orient the employees to the changing market scene and re-train them.

On the new initiatives to attract passengers, officials said the `Executive Edge' scheme being offered till October 31 entails a free return ticket on IA's domestic or international sector for an executive class passenger who travels on Rs. 80,000 worth of tickets. For Rs.30,000 worth of travel in the same class, a passenger would get an executive class upgrade voucher.

The `Fortune 50' scheme, available till September 19 for revenue passengers on flights from six metros, including Hyderabad and Bangalore, offers daily prizes through draw of lots and one mega prize of a Mercedes Benz `C' luxury car. Under the daily draw of lots at the six metros, about 600 free return tickets would be awarded.

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