Diluting the Difference of Schedule and Low Cost Airline in India

Posted by Nikita Saxena on December 11th, 2019

Despite many industry players like Indian Airlines, Air India Express, GoAir, and IndiGo, foraying in the market of low cost airline in India, it is just the beginning.

Thanks to the recent boom in airport infrastructure under the UDAAN scheme, air connectivity to remote and regional areas is improving at a fast pace. Name any major city or country, and you will have a flight connecting it with major Indian cities. It is pretty easy to book and check Air India flight status using the Air India Express web interface.

What makes low-cost airlines a better option? 

Unlike the past, when low-cost carriers were a rarity, now the gap between the budget and tradition scheduled airlines is narrowing fast. The phenomenal rise of low-cost airline in India and other parts of the world forced traditional airlines to rethink and be in parity with budget friendly airlines. Meanwhile, when other nations were busy remodeling and cutting offerings to reduce cost, the Indian Airlines started adding more and more services giving flyers an option to buy services at will.

Here are some notable shifts you will notice in low-cost aviation space at present:

1. Easy Airline Content

Unlike the past when low-cost airline tickets were available mostly through direct booking, now almost all carriers sell flight tickets both directly and through the global distribution system (GDS). So, now you can book your low-cost airline tickets or check Air India flight status using various online platforms.

2. Unbundling Reality

In this competitive space, even scheduled air carriers are now unbundling benefits like seat choice, extra luggage, food and other added benefits from the base fare. However, you get an option to add services according to your requirements at some additional cost.

3. Improving Cabin Experience

You might have noticed the disappearance of business-class seats in domestic routes in traditional airlines. Now, just like any low-cost carrier you have the same one standard cabin for all airlines.

4. Full-service Deals

If you are a regular business traveler, you know it better that your low-cost carrier is no less than the scheduled carrier offers bundled pricing. You get some or all added services included in your regular base fare at some marginal cost.

The aviation market is fast evolving and varied Indian airlines are remodeling to meet the aspirations of young generation air travelers. In short-haul flight, you will not be able to notice a big difference in schedule and low-cost airlines. Why pay more when you are going to get all at the same or lower cost. 

Summary: Emerging markets like India with the youth majority need the right mix of value, services, and pricing. The same applies to Indian airlines. Thankfully, the aviation market is evolving fast to cater to the market need, which is the reason behind the evolution of low cost airline India.