Page 38 - AAA JULY - AUGUST 2014 Online Magazine

OPINION KANIKA TEKRIWAL

Straight Talk

By Kanika Tekriwal

conTrary To popular belief, optimizing and making these airstrips
general aviation is the backbone of any functional with minimal infrastructure
country’s progress, similar to commercial will result in not only higher revenues for
aviation, building of roads or any other authorities such as AAI etc. but also have a
infrastructure. General aviation provides direct effect on the growth of the industry.
connectivity on sectors not viable for Another key deterrent to the growth
commercial airlines to operate on, it of business aviation fleet in India are the
enables medical evacuations and most regulatory barriers frequently imposed their machines transparently available to
importantly general aviation provides on the industry. The business aviation customers.
instantaneous connectivity to the country’s industry in India is not treated as a Another step we have taken is
captains of industry. India as a country still separate entity by itself and is governed optimal utilization of available resources
remains far behind in the general aviation by the same norms and regulations as to increase operator revenue while
sector, having witnessed negative growth that of the commercial aviation industry. simultaneously decreasing costs for
this last financial year. More aircraft and Anyone wishing to start a general aviation customers. Surprisingly, marketing of
helicopters were sold out of India rather business in India has to wait over a empty legs from operators has been
than imported into India, directly affecting year in order to be granted a license, minimal thus far. JetSetGo has been
various businesses and jobs dependent post which importing an aircraft takes consolidating empty legs from operators
upon the industry. another 4-8 months. These extraordinary and brokers across the country and selling
This negative growth or shrinking lead times cause the business to lose them through its mobile application and
of the market is not owing to the lack of money in manpower, offices, deposits on other platforms.
demand for these aircraft. The demand aircraft and other overheads. The over It is extremely easy for us as an
and need for private jets and helicopters all regulatory hurdles make the business industry to blame regulatory and other
remains relatively high. Many industrial a non-profitable venture, ultimately hurdles as the cause of lackluster
areas in the country, both developed and resulting in a lack of interest in owning growth. However, we have to look within
upcoming, suffer from a dearth of air and operating private jets. the industry to optimize and change our
connectivity. Business leaders, owners Outside of regulatory and tax barriers, operating scenarios to align them with
and executives frequently need to travel the industry also requires procedures, international standards. The industry can
to these sectors resulting in a directly structure and organization. Six years achieve double digit growth in the coming
greater demand for aircraft than supply. ago at my previous role I used to sell a year if we, those behind the scenes and
The negative growth is due to the lack of Challenger 604 at a price higher than what the regulatory authorities, work towards
organization in the industry alongside the most Challenger 604 operators are selling enabling it.
high barriers to entry ultimately resulting it at today. Input costs have only increased
in the lack of a comprehensive support but the pricing benchmarks set in the
system. industry actually prevent operators form About Kanika Tekriwal
We at JetSetGo receive on average selling these machines at the right prices. Kanika has behind her over 8 years of
12-14 queries a day for charter of aircraft At JetSetGo we have been on a constant business aviation experience both in
and helicopter mostly from corporate mission to convince operators to align India and Europe. A distinguished MBA
business houses and industrialists, charter costs to international standards graduate from the United Kingdom,
alongside individuals. On a few occasions – this will only benefit operator’s and Kanika has successfully established
we have not been able to service the client encourage more people to invest in the and managed 2 multinational business
with an aircraft simply because of the general aviation business making it aviation operations apart from having
lack of an aircraft available to land on a financially viable. One of our missions is advised and consulted on various unique
particular airstrip (due to the airstrips to increase the overall use of aircrafts and business aviation programs. She along
limited capabilities). There are around helicopters available in the country today. with her recently launched JetSetGo
450 unused or abandoned airports and We launched the digital platform to get - India’s first online marketplace for
airstrips across the country. Simply every operator in India on board and make private jet and helicopter charter.
38 ASIAN AIRLINES & AIRPORTS JULY / AUGUST 2014 WWW.ASIANAIRLINES-AIRPORTS.COM