Jet Airways
Jet Airways (India's No: 1 private airline) and its Chairman
Naresh Goyal, have been in the news lately. T he
airline in its 9th year of exsistence, has captured 42% of the
domestic market share. It is the only airline in India to be
making profits. Jet Airways profit for the year ending 31st
March 2001 was Rs 12.5 crores compared to Indian Airlines loss
of Rs. 177 crores.
Even though Jet Airways has only 33 aircraft (when compared
to Indian Airlines 57) it has more number of flights per day
(215 when compared to Indian Airlines 208). The average age
of a Jet Airways aircraft is only 2.8 years when compared
to Indian Airlines 13 years!
Naresh Goyal, a B.Com graduate and a "travel agent
turned entrepreneur" from Patiala is considered to
be a tough man who gives lot of importance to minute details.
He believes in the fact that a satisfied customer is the best
defense against the threat of new entrants.
Jet Airways gives a lot of importance to service and mo re
so for the business class passengers. For Frequent Flyers,
they have a separate programme called Jet Privilege
for members who have the option of not only tele-checking
3 hours before the flight but also has many other attractive
services including the corporate business lounges which are
available at all major airports in India. It gives the passengers
time to relax, have some refreshments, catch up with work
and also surf the net through the internet terminals provided
at the lounges.
The flight attendants on the flight are all young (less than
half the age of the Indian Airlines air hostess). They have
been through rigorous training on personal grooming and etiquette
(smallest details of nail polish and deodorants are regulated).
Last month, Jet Airways introduced an in-flight mail order
shopping catalogue which one can use to send a gift to their
near and dear ones.
Jet Airways in its 9th year of operation welcomed its 25
millionth passenger in the month of June 2001.
Today Jet Airways flies 17,000 passengers
everyday and makes sure that all pa ssengers
on a long flight are pampered with an ever-smiling crew, cold
towels and three course meals. Some of its regular flyers
even get surprise complimentary upgrades from economy to business
class once in a while.
Now that Indian Airlines is flying to some of the neighboring
countries and doing well in that sector, Jet Airways has also
applied for permission to fly to those countries - such as
Singapore, Dubai and Bangkok.
In fact Jet's spectacular success was ensured by Indian Airlines
itself and all those private airlines that have come and then
faded away, except for Sahara. Now that Indian Airlines is
awaiting a buyer and if it happens, Jet Airways will face
a worthy opponent!
Also if Jet Airways gets into the International arena, they
have to face stiff competition from the International biggies
like Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, British Airways,
etc.
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