IndiGo sees significant rise in corporate flyers: CEO Elbers
- The Gurugram-based airline has also set a clear goal to become a global aviation giant from being largely known as a domestic carrier currently
New Delhi: India’s largest airline IndiGo is witnessing a spike in corporate traffic to the extent of 56% of the passenger load factor on some flights, Chief Executive Officer Pieter Elbers said.
“....We have more and more companies, more and more corporates and we have recently changed our catering product on board for precisely that reason we have flights with more than 100 corporate customers on board, so we are moving there,” Elbers said while addressing the 50th National Management Convention organized by All India Management Association (AIMA).
The airline launched its new 6E Eats menu on 1 September on all domestic and international flights. This includes options comprising new regional delicacies while continuing the traditionally popular items such as the Chicken Junglee Sandwich, 6E ‘Choice of the Day’ along with the popular Ready-to-Eat meals.
The airline has also introduced ‘Snacks on the Plane’, an on-the-go, custom-crafted snack bag comprising an assortment of sweet and savoury items, including a serving of juice.
Further, the airline is also working to put in place a loyalty programme, often offered by full-service carriers.
“Everything should happen at the right time. IndiGo is going through a maturing phase which is much faster than many other airlines in the world. There has been a lot of focus on growing the airline,” he said, adding that the company is revitalising a loyalty system that was designed in 2019 just ahead of the onset of the Covid pandemic.
The Gurugram-based airline has also set a clear goal to become a global aviation giant from being largely known as a domestic carrier currently.
The airline placed an order of 500 narrow-body A320neo family aircraft with Airbus at the Paris air show in June this year, taking the pending order book to nearly 980 aircraft. The Gurugram-based airline is the largest airline in the domestic segment with a market share of 63.3% and 15.7% in the international air traffic to and from India, as per data from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
“We will be welcoming a new aircraft pretty much every week. IndiGo expects to be double of its size by the end of this decade. I believe IndiGo has everything in it to becoming a global aviation giant,” Elbers said.
Elbers, who completed one year as the head of IndiGo earlier this month, also reiterated that India needs large airlines with massive fleet sizes to make the country a hub to the likes that exist in Singapore and the Middle East. He also added that there is a need for more discussions on whether we have enough direct international connectivity.
“To be global and to compete globally, the Indian aviation sector needs consolidation, growth and larger airlines. To make India a connecting place, that should be the reference and not just the domestic market," he said.
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First Published:26 Sep 2023, 04:28 PM IST
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