Mumbai: Low-cost airline IndiGo has taken a dig at competition in a new advertisement that hints that other domestic airlines fudge their on-time performance records.
According to DGCA’s February data, IndiGo had 88.9 percent on-time performance below Jet Airways and Jetlite, which recorded 91.8 and 89.7 per cent, respectively.
The airline has not made a direct accusation, but the advertisement titled “What the Fudge” makes a distinction between IndiGo, which uses a technological tool to monitor its departure and arrivals, and others which keep manual records. The underlying message is that IndiGo cannot tamper with records but others have the chance to do so.
Gurgaon-based IndiGo, which is the second largest airline by market share, has built a brand image around its on-time departures. While airlines advertise low fares, marketing or other promotional offers on their websites, IndiGo is perhaps the only one to emphasise on on-time performance.
“On-time performance is core to our business,” an airline spokesperson says. IndiGo’s 51 planes are equipped with Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS), which is a digital data link system for transmission of short, relatively simple messages between aircraft and ground stations via radio or satellite.
“Our entire fleet of 51 aircraft is fitted with this technology. Before departure of every IndiGo flight, an automatic message is trigged from the aircraft via ACARS to our operations control centre (OCC) – and immediately the same departure time gets recorded in the software. Likewise, the moment an aircraft lands at the destination, an automatic message is trigged from the aircraft to the OCC. These timings are recorded ‘real time’, automatically through ACARS i.e. without a human intervention. Hence, our On Time Performance is diligently monitored for every flight – real time,'' the airline says. IndiGo says it is the only airline in India to use this technology.
23/03/12 Aneesh Phadnis/Business Standard
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