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FEATURE AIRLINES

has 98 aircraft in operation. According
to figures released by the Indian Director
General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), IndiGo
carried almost twice the number of
passengers in August compared to its
nearest competition, Jet Airways and Air
India (both full service carriers).

Go Air
Indian LCC Go Air which has been
conservative in its approach thus far, has big
plans for the future. The airline appointed
industry veteran Wolfgang Prock-Schauer
as CEO in May and will take delivery of the
first of 72 A320neos on order, early next
year. The delivery of the first A320neo for
Go Air will be an important milestone, as
it will be the LCCs 20th aircraft, allowing it
to overcome India’s unique and restrictive
5/20 rule. As per this rule, an airline can
commence international operations only
after it completes five years of operation
and has attained a fleet size of 20 aircraft.
With an experienced industry hand like
Prock-Schauer at the helm and 72 new
generation and fuel efficient A320neos to
arrive from next year, Go Air is well poised
to target the lucrative Middle-East sector
for its international operations and further
improve profitability in domestic operations.

Spice Jet
Budget Indian airline SpiceJet announced
IndiGo was named ‘CAPA Low Cost Airline order for 250 A320 neos was signed at the end of July, that it had turned the
of the Year,’ in October. “In less than 10 on August 15th this year, which is also corner with a net profit of a little over $ 11
years IndiGo has grown to become India’s India’s Independence Day. Orders for million (Rs 71.8 crore) for Q1, FY16. “We
largest domestic airline with a market the A320neo family are now at 502 from have made significant improvements in
share of close to 40 percent,” said CAPA two Indian carriers, IndiGo (430) and Go our cash flows and liquidity position, and
Executive Chairman Peter Harbison. Air (72). As per the latest Airbus delivery have been discharging our obligations
“Despite operating in a very challenging report available for September, IndiGo will on time. We are emphatically no longer
market, IndiGo has consistently reported take its entire 2011 order for 180 aircraft under financial stress. During this
profits for each of the last seven years, as A320neos, instead of 150 A320neo quarter, we have re-inducted an aircraft
including a record profit in FY2015. Over and 30 A320ceo originally decided. It that had previously been returned and
the same period India’s airlines combined will be interesting to see once deliveries are in discussions to re-induct few more,
have lost in excess of $ 10 billion.” IndiGo commence, if the airline decides to which reflects renewed lessor confidence
had reported profits of approximately $ convert some of the A320 orders to A321s in SpiceJet”, said Kiran Koteshwar,
200 million (Rs 1304 crore) for 2014. All instead. The A320neo typically seats 165 Chief Financial Officer, SpiceJet Ltd. At
100 airplanes from the 2005 order have passengers and has a maximum seating present, the SpiceJet fleet consists of
been received by the airline, which has capacity of 189, with a range of 3500 nm. 20 Boeing 737s, 1 Airbus A319 and 14
a current operational fleet of 98 Airbus The A321neo has a 206 seat configuration, Bombardier Q-400 regional transport
A320ceos. The Indian LCC placed major with a maximum seating capacity of 240 aircraft (RTA). The airline has decided to
aircraft orders in three batches, the first and a range of 4000 nm. IndiGo dominates retain its Q-400 RTAs.
being in 2005 for 100 A320s, followed by the Indian domestic market with 633 daily
a 2011 order for 180 A320s and the latest flights connecting 38 destinations and
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