Low Cost Airlines in India - Pros and Cons

Looking for a low cost airline to trip fast and trip cheap? Five years ago, low allocation travellers chose trains over flights. This meant one had to spare nothing less than three days to get to Delhi from Bangalore. The picture is drastically distinct today. Indians are travelling by flights like never before. This sea (or air) change is partly on account of the changing economy. The surge of low cost airlines in India with Indigo Airlines, Jet Airways Konnect Airlines, SpiceJet, JetLite, Kingfisher Red, Air India Express and GoAir, has made flying potential for any one.

Low cost carriers are rapidly gaining market share, albeit at the expense of their full aid counterparts. This is primarily because of the way low cost carriers (Lccs) have been able to control their costs at the time of recession. The Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation has thinkable, that Lccs of India will garner a sumptuous 70% of the domestic market share by 2010. The challenges there could be the cost of aviation fuel (although it has gown down tremendously from last year), low yields and the lack of thorough infrastructure. Despite everything, Lccs are fast gaining market share. IndiGo Airlines, said to be the most popular Lcc, has a market share of 11%, while SpiceJet has a exiguous more than 10% of pie. Kingfisher Red, earlier Air Deccan, captured a astonishing 15% of the market share and JetLite was able to accomplish 7% of the airline market share.

Airlines

These figures look challenging because for most population the pros of low cost carriers weigh heavily over the cons. If you are not seeing for high-priced frills in an airline and your only intent is to reach from one distant part of India to another, low cost airlines are meant for you. The major inequity here is that low cost carriers do not offer complimentary food and beverages. They do have a option of snacks one can buy though. In fact, airlines such as IndiGo and SpiceJet even allow you to carry your foods.

In a strange move, Air India recently shelved its plan to embark on a low cost carrier. This is a surprising turnaround from the national airline company at a time when most airlines are trying to make their space in the Lcc market. For instance, Jet Air Konnect was recently started by Jet Airways to connect Tier 2 cities. This is yet other low cost carrier from Jet Airways after they launched JetLite in 2007. Kingfisher is other prominent airline of India that offers low carriers with its Kingfisher Red division. Kingfisher Red is the only low cost carrier that also offers steaming hot food to fliers.

With their low fares and punctuality of services, airlines are becoming wildly popular. They also have new aircrafts as an added advantage. Lccs also offer easy bookings and cancellation services online. While earlier they were focussed on prominent destinations, Lccs today serve smaller cities over India as well. They also offer advantages of in flight entertainment and a well trained staff, which makes trip easy for everyone. What one has to compromise on are leg space, crammed seats and luxury services. That might not mean a lot to those who earn a occasion to fly by air their first time! A major disadvantage with Lccs is that one cannot transit from an IndiGo or SpiceJet Airline to other flight, or to other carrier. Some low cost airlines do offer shuttling services on two of their flights on safe bet sectors. However, most low cost airlines do offer services of air conditioned buses to carry passengers to the aircraft. Most Lccs do not offer frequent flier benefits either.

Low Cost Airlines in India - Pros and Cons