Indian has been the leading domestic carrier in India for more than half a century. Over this period it has taken air transport in India to new heights, setting standards in product upgrade, customer service and training. By linking state capitals as well far flung areas of interior India, Indian has played an important role in the economic development of the country. Currently, the airline flies to 54 domestic and 18 international destinations with a fleet of 74 aircraft consisting of both own and leased Airbus A320s, A300s, A319s, B737s, ATR-42s and Dorniers. On the anvil are 43 brand new aircraft of the Airbus family the first of which, an A319, was delivered to Indian at Delhi recently. The remaining 42 will join the fleet in a staggered manner over the next four years.
The airline has always promptly responded to customer needs and brought in suitable changes, be it new generation aircraft or attractive pricing. Indian's tremendous experience and resilience have helped it live up to challenges of competition and emerge successful despite severe constraints. Its bold initiatives in marketing and pricing and continuous product upgrades to serve its customers better have resulted in the airline retaining its prime position.
Apart from its efforts at continuous product upgrade, continuous process, the acquisition of 43 new Airbus aircraft will certainly give a big boost to this process. The new aircraft will have audio-visual inflight entertainment through personalized television screens on seat backs. Complementing each other and giving a fresh new look will be the cabin décor, crew uniform, crockery and galley equipment.
Indian also has plans to expand its international and domestic operations in a big way with more leased aircraft, and is exploring the markets of Australia, China, South Africa and UK.
Some recent initiatives for the corporate travellers, leisure travellers and frequent fliers:
• On-line booking, Bid and Fly
• Easy Fares, Family Fares, Unchecked Fares and Spot Fares which are the lowest in the market
• A single window toll free number 1800 180 1407 which takes care of all travel needs of the passenger like information, booking, fare options, holiday packages, and even buying a ticket on telephone
• Tie-ups with electronics company Haier and retail chain Westside to offer discounts and other benefits
• Joint ventures with Amex and ABN Amro for co-branded cards which offer a host of benefits
• I-Mint loyalty programme with five other leading brands like ICICI Bank, Lifestyle, HPCL, Airtel and Makemytrip.com which ensures loads of benefits for the customer
• Attractive holiday packages to destinations in India and abroad. A recent launch is the Tirupati Darshan holiday package, to coincide with the introduction of the daily service from Delhi-Tirupati and back.
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