Chennai: In a bid to attract passengers from small towns, low-cost airlines are turning innovative. Hyderabad-based regional carrier TruJet is planning to pioneer a model by which passengers from small towns will be taken by airconditioned buses to the nearest airport to board flights.
The airline, which will launch Chennai-Rajahmundry flights on July 25, is planning to offer road connectivity to small towns around Chennai, Salem and Coimbatore when they expand their flights. TruJet managing director Vankayalapati Umesh said, "We are yet to decide which towns to connect by road. But we want to bring people from Puducherry to Chennai airport by road. They can be put on our flights to Hyderabad or Aurangabad. Passengers can check in baggage from the point of boarding the bus. All they have to do is to walk in for security check."
Smaller towns around Coimbatore and Salem will also be connected in a similar fashion when TruJet starts flights to these airports. "Talks are on to decide which towns need to be focussed. Airconditioned Volvo buses will be used. We are connecting Shiridi with Aurangabad airport this way. It is only an hour-and-40-minute drive to Shiridi from Aurangabad airport. There is a lot of potential for the model because a large number of people from small towns will be encouraged to fly," he added. Small towns offer a good market for airlines as several residents fly for business, leisure and pilgrimage.
17/07/15 Times of India
To Read the News in full at Source, Click the Headline
The airline, which will launch Chennai-Rajahmundry flights on July 25, is planning to offer road connectivity to small towns around Chennai, Salem and Coimbatore when they expand their flights. TruJet managing director Vankayalapati Umesh said, "We are yet to decide which towns to connect by road. But we want to bring people from Puducherry to Chennai airport by road. They can be put on our flights to Hyderabad or Aurangabad. Passengers can check in baggage from the point of boarding the bus. All they have to do is to walk in for security check."
Smaller towns around Coimbatore and Salem will also be connected in a similar fashion when TruJet starts flights to these airports. "Talks are on to decide which towns need to be focussed. Airconditioned Volvo buses will be used. We are connecting Shiridi with Aurangabad airport this way. It is only an hour-and-40-minute drive to Shiridi from Aurangabad airport. There is a lot of potential for the model because a large number of people from small towns will be encouraged to fly," he added. Small towns offer a good market for airlines as several residents fly for business, leisure and pilgrimage.
17/07/15 Times of India
