Airlines slash overseas fares by up to 50%

Mumbai: After the farcical flip-flop in domestic air fares, airlines are now coming up with promotional fares, which involve a discount of 30-50%, for international flights originating from India.
Jet Airways, the country’s largest airline, has cut international fares by 30%. For the Singapore and Hong Kong routes, Jet has introduced special fares that will be valid till February end. These fares will entail a 30% discount on base return economy class and premier fares.
Foreign airlines, too, have unveiled offers. The UK-based British Airways has reduced fares by 50% for flights to London from both Mumbai and Delhi. A passenger can get a British Airways ticket either from Mumbai or Delhi to London for just Rs 9,900 including taxes, 50% less compared with normal fares. This fare is valid for the economy class till March 31, 2009. Otherwise, a one-way ticket to London costs about Rs 20,044 including taxes. British Airways operates 48 flights every week from London’s Heathrow airport to six cities in India.
Jet Airways has also come out with a special Mumbai-London and Delhi-London first-class base fare at Rs 2 lakh, down from the earlier fare of Rs 2,72,000, per person. The airline operates daily, direct flights to Singapore and Hong Kong. Jet Airways currently operates over 370 flights daily.
Meanwhile, cash-rich Singapore Airlines is offering discount deals of up to 60% connecting Mumbai with various Southeast Asian cities.
“Many carriers are getting better yields from international operations. Jet’s revenues from international operations in the third quarter of FY09 were 100% more than the domestic numbers,” said an analyst with domestic brokerage firm.
16/02/09 Mithun Roy/Economic Times

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Categories: Foreign Feb 2009, Indian Aviation- In General Feb 2009