Airlines, portals offer up to 50% cash refund on ticket

Mumbai: In an attempt to bring back travellers and increase passenger load factor, domestic airlines and travel portals have come together to offer discounts and cash back of up to 50% on a ticket.
Gurgaon-based low-cost carrier, SpiceJet, is offering up to 50% cash back on its basic fare through travel portal, makemytrip.com, for sectors where the distance is less than 750 km and 25% in case of sectors where the distance is more than 750 km. The amount will be credited within a week after the date of travel. This offer is valid till the end of March.
As a result, it is now possible to get a ticket on the Mumbai-Delhi route for Rs 3,465 (all inclusive) through cash-back schemes if booked 30 days in advance.
Kingfisher Airlines, too, is offering 10% cash back of up to a maximum of Rs 200 per transaction. This can be availed only when one books a ticket on a domestic route through yatra.com. Likewise, there is a 50% cash back on GoAir when booked through cleartrip.com.
“Given that airlines are facing load factors that are low, cash back offers and discounts are short-term tactics to fulfil the advance booking targets,” said an analyst with a domestic brokerage firm. Importantly, just 33.2 lakh passengers flew in January this year against 38.9 lakh in January 2008 — a decline of 14.6%.
27/02/09 Mithun Roy/Economic Times

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Categories: Indian Aviation- In General Feb 2009