Jan 26, 2006 07:20 PM
2762 Views
(Updated Jan 26, 2006 07:20 PM)
Yeah.. AirDeccan Simplifies the flying experience for the common man (the Brand Ambassador if the airlines). I was really thrilled and taken aback when I saw the ad of airdecan some time in mid 2004 that flight tickets for Rs. 500 ( Though later they come up with Rs.1 Tickets in Airbus sectors and GOAir’s free tickets). It was a bold statement made in indian skies and shattered the myth that Air travel is possible only for the elite.
No one could reject the claim that Air Deccan started a new era in Indian flying history be it Low Cost model or Making everyone fly or bringing the price of other airlines drastically. Air deccan is really a pioneer for many further airlines to come up and made a dream possible for many in India and connected unknown town to the metros.
Having said that, I ‘m not a typical Indian fan (read first time flier) for Air deccan, I have flown in other airlines for that matter and my good will comes from a critic’s view.
Being the Leader in Low cost airlines field is having its own quota of disadvantages also. One main thing is to learn from its own mistakes and people’s mentality that though they travel by a low cost carrier they wanted to be treated like a KING.
Be it delayed flights or untrained ground staff, Air deccan is doing an experiment and it’s better that they are learning from their experience. May be air deccan overlooked a main factor that for frequent fliers it’s manageable with flight delays and untrained ground staffs but for the first time fliers, better trained staffs are required to handle their musings and other issues.
There are a few suggestions for AirDeccan – Capt. Gopinath:
Train the ground staff better and have a Disaster management plan.
Running a low cost carrier doesn’t mean that need to have a poor service in terms of informing flight delays and making alternate arrangements for cancelled flights. At least some help in finding an alternate way of travel or a hotel room for stay would be helpful as the people flying are Old people, from villages who may not have a fallback plan like business travelers.
Educate the passengers about the low-cost model and make the agents to inform them about the conditions.
Serving Food on the flight is alright. But a welcome toffee ( Wont cost a rupee) and a welcome drink ( Rs 5 – 10 Fruity Pack!) will be nice and I guess Rs 10 is not a big deal for some one who pays Rs 500 (least) for air ticket. This makes a good feel about the airline.
Have a effective feedback mechanism and try to work on the feedbacks and let the passenger know the action taken. This helps to spread the good will and also to correct the mistakes.
For the fliers in airdeccan,
Be aware of the fact that you are flying by a low cost carrier and have fall back plans in case of an delay or cancellation. Try to understand that the other passengers may be flying for the first time and be nice to the staff. And Happy Flying…..
I'd write about my flying experiance with AirDeccan and other low cost carriers later...
