Stable govt, low fares give air bookings a boost

Election results seem to have come as a shot in the arm for ailing airlines.Domestic and international airlines seen a 10 per cent rise in ticket bookings in May 2009 as compared to the same month last year, reports Lalatendu Mishra.

Election results seem to have come as a shot in the arm for ailing airlines.

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Domestic and international airlines seen a 10 per cent rise in ticket bookings in May 2009 as compared to the same month last year.

Bookings picked up after May 16, soon after it was evident that Congress could form a stable government.

An upbeat mood for economic revival, and a surge in stock prices appear to have fanned travel, airline officials and industry experts said.
“Business is gearing up to recapture the lost opportunities during the slowdown period and to touch base with clients.

The pessimistic mood is just not there and more people are expected to fly,” said an airline executive asking not to be identified.

“The bookings went up sharply after the results. Our data shows a 10 to 11 percent rise. There is a positive feeling that Congress would provide a stable and independent government,” said Ankur Bhatia, managing director, Amadeus India, the country’s largest online airline ticket reservation system.

“I am hopeful that we will see a recovery of the sector by the year-end,” Bhatia said.
Special schemes offering cut rate fares have also helped.

Jet Airways has introduced a London-Mumbai business class return ticket for Rs 60,000 while Singapore Airlines has announced a special economy return fare of Rs 15,000 for Hong Kong.

It recently announced a special return fare of Rs 11,000 for Singapore, which has been well received.

“Our bookings for flights in June to September have jumped by 15 per cent,” said CW Foo, General Manager, India, Singapore Airlines.