Foreign airlines find local hotels too hot to park crew

New Delhi: Foreign airlines are feeling the heat of the Indian hospitality business boom. Five-star hotel room rates for airline crew has risen by 60-80% in the last one year, with most hotels insisting on annual contracts, a departure from usual practice of a three-to-five year relationship.
Even while raising their rates, most hotels have maintained or reduced their exposure to crew guests over the last one year, while a few have simply put out the “not welcome” board for airline crew. This comes at a time when a growing number of foreign carriers are increasing their flight frequency while expanding their reach from the country.
With too many airline crew chasing fewer number of discounted hotel rooms, the situation is reaching a state that some airlines flying short haul — from destinations in South East Asia and the Gulf — are thinking on lines of avoiding crew stay in some Indian metros like Bangalore, Delhi, and Mumbai, and opt for quicker turnaround with an extra-set of crew manning the services in the return leg.
10/05/06 Sudipto Dey/Economic Times

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