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Jet Airways is almost there but not quite
Here’s an interesting finding: Jet Airways is the favourite airline among air travellers in Mumbai, Pune and Ahmedabad, three western Indian cities covered by the Hindustan Times-MaRS Consumer Satisfaction Survey, reports Samiran Saha.
Here’s an interesting finding: Jet Airways is the favourite airline among air travellers in Mumbai, Pune and Ahmedabad, three western Indian cities covered by the Hindustan Times-MaRS Consumer Satisfaction Survey.
But it does not figure in the top three in four other important markets – Guwahati (rank: eighth), Chennai (seventh), New Delhi (fourth) and Bangalore (joint fourth).
Overall, it emerges a close second among airlines, with an overall satisfaction score of 786, eight index points behind leader Kingfisher Airlines.
The Jet Airways management, however, maintains that it is the best airline in the country.
“We have been voted among the top three airlines in the world by a Conde Nast Traveller poll in New York. We have been voted as the airline with the best first-class service in the world and the best east-bound airline from India and the best domestic airline in the country,” says an airline spokesperson.
But the Hindustan Times-MaRS survey clearly shows that Kingfisher Airlines has consistently scored higher than Jet Airways on all but two parameters (it is ahead in “in-flight reading and is at par with Kingfisher Airlines on “cabin crew”).
Says Raghu Roy, managing director of MaRS, Hindustan Times’ knowledge partner for this survey: “While the differentials (between Kingfisher and Jet) are rarely large, the consistency (with which Kingfisher outscores Jet) cannot be ignored.”
The race between the two is very close. In the 10 cities surveyed, Jet scores higher than Kingfisher in four.
Says Roy: “Kingfisher manages a higher emotional connect with passengers than Jet. Jet is more efficient in a business-like manner. Kingfisher, thus, gets higher satisfaction scores.”
Interestingly, Jet Airways scores higher than Kingfisher Airlines in both Mumbai and New Delhi, India’s two main markets.
"On the international sector, they are very good, the airline is very thoughtful towards passenger needs. Their service is exceptional. I had a really nice flying experience from Delhi to Toronoto,” Nikhil Khanna, managing director, Avian Media, told Hindustan Times.
