Mumbai: The price war in the skies has spread to the business class. Jet Airways and Qatar Airways are offering huge discounts in a desperate bid to take on Emirates and Singapore Airlines whose recently started A380 flights are scooping passengers in big chunks. Jet Airways is offering all-inclusive one-way business class fares to London at just Rs 28,382 from Delhi and Rs 27,727 from Mumbai, which are just onefourth of usual business class fares and almost half of regular economy fares.
The offer is effective for bookings between September 16 to 18 for travel between October 16, 2014 and July 31, 2015. Under the same offer, one can fly to Singapore in business class at just Rs 18,672 from Delhi and Rs 18,282 from Mumbai, about one-third of normal fares. Jet, however, clarified that none of these fares are valid on flights that operate via its new international hub Abu Dhabi. The airline made Abu Dhabi its global hub after selling 24 per cent stake to Etihad last year.
Earlier in the day, Qatar Airways wrote to travel agents offering an up to 25 per cent discount on all its 130 direct and indirect destinations from India on economy, business and even first classes on bookings made till September 17 for travel between September 21 and June 15, 2015. Industry experts said poor demand has forced airlines to this.
"Demand is a problem. Business class seats for many airlines have been going empty or half full at best," said an industry watcher who didn't want to be named. "What's more, the oncoming festive season never means the same spurt for business class as it does for the back end of the flight." Further, the 500-plus-seater A380 jumbo jet services started by Emirates and Singapore Airlines have made a dent in the market.
16/09/14 Anirban Chowdhury/Economic Times
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The offer is effective for bookings between September 16 to 18 for travel between October 16, 2014 and July 31, 2015. Under the same offer, one can fly to Singapore in business class at just Rs 18,672 from Delhi and Rs 18,282 from Mumbai, about one-third of normal fares. Jet, however, clarified that none of these fares are valid on flights that operate via its new international hub Abu Dhabi. The airline made Abu Dhabi its global hub after selling 24 per cent stake to Etihad last year.
Earlier in the day, Qatar Airways wrote to travel agents offering an up to 25 per cent discount on all its 130 direct and indirect destinations from India on economy, business and even first classes on bookings made till September 17 for travel between September 21 and June 15, 2015. Industry experts said poor demand has forced airlines to this.
"Demand is a problem. Business class seats for many airlines have been going empty or half full at best," said an industry watcher who didn't want to be named. "What's more, the oncoming festive season never means the same spurt for business class as it does for the back end of the flight." Further, the 500-plus-seater A380 jumbo jet services started by Emirates and Singapore Airlines have made a dent in the market.
16/09/14 Anirban Chowdhury/Economic Times
