Only one and a half month into operations, Vistara has opened advance bookings for the year ahead and cut fares to
take on rivals in the full-fare and budget airline markets.
The Tata group Vistara has cut its fares on immediate bookings by
up to 30% and advance bookings by up to 45%, according to online travel portals.
The move follows the fourth SpiceJet flash sale in a month and a Jet Airways
offer of more air miles on sectors flown by Vistara.
The airline had launched Delhi-Mumbai flights at
approximately Rs.6,500, Rs.9,200 and Rs.25,000, for economy, premium economy
and business classes, respectively. These prices were offered for one-way
flights in the coming month. Now, Vistara has dropped these fares to Rs.4,558,
Rs.8,217 and Rs.21,777 respectively.
The fares for June are 45% cheaper for economy
class: just Rs.3,533. Premium economy tickets are available for Rs.6,405.
When the airline was launched on 9 January, the
winter schedule of flights was about to end, and hence, Vistara was not allowed
to launch advance bookings. Now, it has been allowed to do so. Vistara, which
is positioning itself as a premium airline with free food, more seating space
and better service quality, is in no mood to let budget airlines lure away
fliers.
Last week,
SpiceJet also cut fares by more than 75% through a flash sale, its fourth in
less than a month, offering a “cheaper-than-train-fares” sale with fares
starting at Rs.599. Budget airlines IndiGo and Spicejet are offering June fares
of Rs.2,957 and Rs.3,002, respectively, while full service airlines Air India
and Jet Airways are offering Rs.3,006 and Rs.3,152 fares.
Vistara is following the new Singapore Airlines
model focusing on premium economy. Singapore Airlines owns 49% in Vistara.
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