Page 20 - AAA NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2014 Online Magazine
P. 20
FEATURE INDIGO
From the Word Go
IndiGo sets a benchmark and leads the way to a more sustainable mode of flying
By Subodh Agarwal
INDIA’S LOW COST CARRIER INDIGO also helped in improving its balance sheet.
recently created a record of sort by The airline, established in 2006, has been
agreeing to buy 250 new Airbus A320neo recording highest load factor among
aircraft, in one of the largest single orders domestic carriers during the past several
in aviation history. years.
In a beleaguered aviation industry in According to latest official figures released
India, what makes an airline company by the aviation regulator Directorate
soar, while others, in the same operating General of Civil Aviation, during the month
environment, find it hard to stay afloat? of September, IndiGo led the market share
As competitors flounder with frozen among domestic airlines registering 32.1
accounts, grounded airplanes, and per cent, while another low cost carrier
massive losses, IndiGo’s sharp focus Spice Jet stood second at 19.6 per cent,
on key deliverables such as on-time followed by national carrier Air India
performance, low fares, consistent with16.9 per cent.
onboard and ground service helps a “Low cost does not mean low quality,”
IndiGo is the only Indian sustained business success. Aditya Ghosh, President of IndiGo insisted.
carrier to have ordered the Analysts said IndiGo’s relentless focus “The endeavor is to ensure that we can
A320neo, a new version of
the Airbus’s popular single- on these key factors has made it not provide sustainable low fares over a long
aisle A320 jets that includes a only profitable, but also helped it build a period of time on the existing routes.”
new engine and other devices loyal customer base in a short period. Its Given that India is one of the most under-
to cut fuel consumption strategy of sale and lease-back of aircraft penetrated airline markets in the world,
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