Last-minute Flight Tickets Booking Costlier

As per recent reports, the cost of last-minute flights is costlier amid discounts and offers announced in this festive season. Around 20 discount offers were rolled out by India-based airlines in previous 10 months and flight tickets booking was cheaper than normal. When compared with the statistics of previous year, the number of fliers registered 28 per cent hike in the month of September. The cost of making seat reservation was lower in general, but last-minute flights were costlier.

According to industry watchers, carriers are charging 10 per cent higher amount for offering seat in their aircraft. With this pricing strategy they might be able to recover the revenues forgone due to various schemes. It serves dual purpose for airlines; on one hand, it attracts fliers by offering cheap tickets in advance that increases the flight occupancy. While on the other hand, they do not have to compromise with low revenues as high-priced ticket reservation at the last minute makes up for it.

After analysing the SpiceJet flight booking trends and figures, its chief operating officer (COO) said that in the first quarter, their revenue available per seat kilometre (RASK) was increased by 10 per cent. RASK gives a true picture of increase in the booking instead of average fares, loads or yields. It is expected that the industry reports may show a fair recovery and narrower losses in the third quarter in comparison with the results of the previous year. The new pricing strategy will play an important role in neutralising the balance sheets. Apart from this, changes in the exchange rate and cut in the fuel prices also affected the revenue earned by carriers.

This new practice has changed the flight seat reservation trend in country and most people are making advance bookings. About 45 per cent of the total bookings were made over 30 days before the journey date and it was only 35 per cent two years back. Online ticket reservation is the second biggest change noticed in the past few years. Most travellers are now booking air tickets online while the number of people getting it from the counter has become low.

Booking Cheap Air Tickets during the Holiday Season

Air travel is emerging as the most popular mode of transportation after significant reduction in the price of flight tickets, on offer by the different airlines. A number of factors played a vital role in bringing it down, and technological revolution is the most important one. Earlier the cost of acquiring an aircraft was sky high, and other elements such as the navigation machine set up was costly. After continuous research and experiments, engineers succeeded in manufacturing efficient models and are coming up with better ones with the passing time as this process is never ending. Apart from this, the government rules and regulations also changed that reduced the burden of taxes. Earlier, each state charged a certain amount by carriers every time they crossed the border; this tax has been removed now. Apart from this, the deregulation act also removed extra burden on the airlines along with giving them a highly supportive and flexible environment to operate. Now, they provide flawless services on cheap air tickets and give maximum value for the money by announcing discounts and offers during festive or holiday seasons. The cost can be reduced even further by following these suggestions given by expert travellers.

Consider All Airlines

It is a well-known fact that low-cost carriers (LCCs) offer cheapest tickets, but at times the maximum value is given by full-fledged carriers on several routes. People who have to travel from one city to another like Bangalore Mumbai flights and are looking for basic amenities only, can limit their search to LCCs. However, in long-haul or intercontinental flights, people have to take meals, neck pillows or Wi-Fi in case of urgent business requirements. The price of these services may add up to the price of the flight ticket. Hence, it is advised that instead of short-listing the carriers on the basis of price, people go through each and every one of them, operating on the required route. After a thorough analysis, they can find out the average of the price charged by them, and select any carrier that offers ticket below it.

Alternative Airports

These days most of the cities have more than one airport, and it is advised that travellers check prices from each one of them. It has been observed that the cost varies with airport because of the taxes and charges paid to them differ. Popular ones often charge a higher amount, but can be reached quite conveniently. Hence, transportation charges and availability of these services at the time flight also need to be considered while making the comparison. Many of the airports provide rented car services, which are cheaper than normal ones, and it can be taken if travellers need to explore the destination for the first time.

Travelling on the Actual Holiday

During holiday season, people try to reach their home town a day or two before the holiday. The cost of making seat reservation on those days is quite high; hence, experts advise on travelling on the actual holiday. It is similar to last-minute deal, but the chances of success are comparatively higher. While sitting in the flight on the day of Deepawali may not sound the ideal situation, but reaching home on time can prove to be bliss.

Booking Economical IndiGo Flight

The Gurgaon-based budget airline – IndiGo – is one of the most efficient service providers in the industry. It is leading the Indian aviation market with over 32 per cent share. More than 500 flights are operated by the carrier every day from the primary hub at Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi. Its fleet size of 80 aircraft includes the latest offerings from Airbus. It provides numerous flights to Lucknow, Delhi, Mumbai, Jaipur and a number of Tier II cities on a regular basis. The carrier also operates international flights, and people who are looking forward to spend their holidays in Singapore or Dubai can opt for its services.

This carrier in many ways has redefined a budget airline by following new strategies and practices. It has been listed as one of the fastest growing airlines of the world. Application of new managerial schemes has led this carrier to the top rank of the chart. Rahul Bhatia, one of the executive chairmen, helped the company in shaping its future as the best airline. Along with giving discounts and offers, the carrier has managed to make profits and has been posting positive results since 2009. In the year 2013, the net profit was reported $130 million, where as the revenue was over $1.6 billion.

It also managed to overcome the criticalities of rising fuel cost and decreasing value of rupee in the international market with the help of efficient strategies formulated at the top level. The IndiGo flight booking pattern was similar and it is believed that net earnings of IndiGo till March 2014 was not shaken by these changes, and was valued at $100 million.

This airline has managed to change the perception of people that low cost does not necessarily mean low quality. It simply means arranging thing in order and offering people what they are looking for. The de-bundling of services allows travellers to pick up services they want during their journey and pay only for them. However, the Economy-plus class service offered by the company adds to the option list of the bookings and comes at more or less at the same cost of Economy class. Along with best-in class services, it has also managed to maintain the on-time performance.

Air Ticket Booking Tips and Suggestions

Air travel is the fastest mode of transportation and with the passing time, it is becoming one of the most cost efficient options as well. As per reports, millions of new fliers take advantage of this mode every year. The International Air Transport Associations (IATA) reports reveal the fact that more than 900 million passengers will opt for air ticket booking in the coming years. Earlier people opted for flights in case of long or inter-continental journeys. However, the scenario is changing and travellers book air tickets to commute from one city to another located in the same country. The report also mentions that over 70 per cent of new fliers will be for domestic journeys. Low cost of seat reservation and increased access are some of the important reasons behind this change as well.

Apart from analysis and reports from these industry watchers, the increase in the SpiceJet, IndiGo and GoAir ticket booking also depicts the scenario. People can get high value for their money by opting for seat reservation with these low-cost carriers. However, to get the best value for their money and make the entire trip economical, they can go through these suggestions and tips given by frequent travellers.

Dynamics of the Fare

There are a number of factors that affect the pricing of a reservation on a flight, and most of them are dynamic in nature, which in turn affect the final cost. Some of the factors include cost of the fuel, charges of airport services, demand and supply of the ticket. These are the reason that flight ticket costs vary every now and then. However, these changes are beyond control of carriers or other elements involved in the entire operation. In few months Sunday may be the cheapest day to book tickets, and in other months it may be Tuesday or Wednesday. However, as per experts, booking well in advance is the best way to get the cheapest flights.

Book Further in Advance

Almost all travel portals and experts advise on making reservations well in advance. It is backed by local explanation, and has been proved right in almost all the manners. Hence, people who have luxury to plan their travel in three of four months in advance can follow this suggestion. Apart from a great saving offer, this practice also gives them chance to book their favourite seat as most of them are vacant.

However, in case of emergency family issues or suddenly planned business meetings, travellers do not get enough time. In such cases, they can look for travel portals that bring information regarding last-minute deals. They can also use travel miles collected over a period of time to get some discount or avail services for free of cost.

Look for the Latest Trends

It is advised that people do not follow months-old trend blindly as airfare is subject to change every day and every week. For instance, a few months back, weekdays were cheaper days to book ticket, and now it is Sunday (as per reports). They can check for latest trends or can simply opt for alerts given by different travel portals.

Significant Increase in SpiceJet Flight Booking

As per latest reports, a significant increase in the load factor of all low-cost carriers has been observed in the last few months. The Sun Group-owned airline – SpiceJet – has recorded more than 85 per cent flight occupancy in the month of September. Flights to Hyderabad, Mumbai, Delhi as well as Tier II cities were almost fully loaded in the studied month. This LCC carried around 4.9 crore people this year. It caters to more than 49 destinations by operating over 300 flights every day. Most of the flights are managed from its primary hub and monitored from the corporate office in Gurgaon. These destinations include domestic as well as international ones. It has a fleet size of over 50 aircraft, including latest models manufactured like Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 and Boeing 737 Next Generation. The airline gained over two per cent market share this year and is behind IndiGo only in the ranking list. However, it has surpassed the leading carrier in terms of flight occupancy.

The latest report gives out a similar picture; IndiGo still leads the market with over 32 per cent shares, followed by SpiceJet (as far as LCCs are concerned). As per reports, because of low-cost fares offered by SpiceJet, the Indian aviation industry saw topsy-turvy curves. The capacity addition and sales announced by the airline operating under the Sun Group attracted fair share of fliers. As a result more deals were offered by most carriers leading to a fare war in the market, which benefitted both – passengers and airlines. This is the reason that almost all carriers operating in the country reported higher load factor during September as per the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) data.

Apart from record breaking SpiceJet flight booking, GoAir and JetLite also surpassed the 80 per cent benchmark. Industry watchers are of the opinion that those carriers, which manage to fill 400 (or more than that) seats out of 500 usually post profits in their financial books. However, it is not necessary in case of sales as prices are lower than normal, which in turn may affect the revenue structure. Even if it does not report profit, the operating cost is usually recovered, creating a breakeven point – where no loss or profit is registered.

The Number of GoAir Flight to Increase This Winter

GoAir is a leading carrier of India, operating under the aviation foray of the Wadia Group. It is one of the largest service providers in the country, and has recorded significant growth since its inception. The flawless services offered by this airline have been recognised by various industry watchers. As per recent reports, they are going to be expanded in the coming winter. When all other airlines are cutting off their operations, the largest carrier – IndiGo – and GoAir are adding number of flights to different destinations. Apart from capacity addition, it has announced the commencement of operations in Odisha. Travellers can make online flight booking to Biju Patnaik Airport as the option has already been added in the list. This Wadia Group-owned airline not only provides unmatchable services, but also gives best value for the money of passengers.

The low-cost carrier (LCC) operates most of its flights from Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi and Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai. With a fleet size of around 20 aircraft, it serves more than 20 destinations of the country. It has placed an order for over 70 A320 Neo from Airbus, whose worth has been evaluated at around INR 324 billion. Deliveries of these models will start in 2015, and the LCC is planning to commence international operations in the same year. It is expected that GoAir flight booking will see an upsurge after commencement of new operations. These plans are to be executed after six months, but the recent addition of flights will also impact the financial books of the company.

As per reports, this Mumbai-based airline will increase weekly departures by over 12 per cent, and the number of flights has been estimated to be 957. On the other hand, IndiGo is making an addition of around 25 per cent as it will receive models from Tiger Air. The Malaysia-based carrier, AirAsia, will also be adding winter flights, followed by Air Costa and yet to be launched Vistara. Because of stiff competition in the market and introduction of new service providers, prices are expected to be in check. The new schedule has already been approved by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), after a thorough analysis.

Flight Ticket Booking Tips

With a number of airlines and routes available, the decision regarding the best flight to avail has become a tough task. Going through the offerings of each of them may take months; and passengers may still be clueless regarding the most economical one or the best on the basis of their preferences. However, this complex process can be simplified by following some simple suggestions given by experts. Flight ticket booking can be done in just few minutes, but the process to arrive on which one to booking can take hours, which is better than days and months. Following are the most followed tips, given by frequent travellers, which can lead first-time fliers or regular ones to the tickets they want to book.

Knowing Who Flies Where

The first step is getting names of the airlines on the routes people have to travel. People, who have already enjoyed air travel, may have certain preferences while first-time fliers can go through reviews of experiences on travel portals. They can short list the names of airlines after doing this bit of research, and then start analysing the services provided by them. Further, some of them can be taken out of the list in case they do not meet specific preferences. These details may include timing, in-flight amenities or on-time performance. After this, they can compare the cost of reservation.

There are a number of dedicated websites that compare the value of tickets offered by various airlines. Travellers can either take the help of these websites or can do the price check on their own. It can be simply done by getting the average of the deals and offers. People can arrive on the average by adding the cost of top 10 or 20 deals and then dividing it by the total number of deals. Those which are offered at prices lower than the arrived average can be considered for further comparison.

Payment with Credit or Debit Cards

After reaching at a number of 5 or 6, passengers can go through the terms and conditions of each airline regarding baggage allowance, taxes charged and other services. They can also check the in-flight amenities and the exclusion or inclusion of meals during the journey. People can opt for the one that gives maximum value for money. They can make payment with specific cards, as many banks give cash back or discounts. Apart from this, many airlines in association with different banks give relaxation on processing charge, which further reduces the cost.

Besides these, common facts like booking in advance, flying in the off season and carrying minimum luggage also help in saving money. Experts advise on making seat reservation with flights three or two months in advance to grab the most economical deals. Bookings during these time periods determine tickets at cheap prices, without any deal or discount. However, in case, it is an emergency travel plan, travellers can check IndiGo, GoAir or SpiceJet online booking as these low-cost carriers often announce new schemes and discount offers on a regular basis.

Domestic Flight Offers Ensuring Lowest Airfares

The onset of low-cost carriers (LCCs) has changed equations of the aviation industry. Increased affordability and accessibility have resulted in a significant growth in the number of fliers in the last few years. Apart from this, domestic flight offers rolled by carriers every now and then along with the capacity addition helped these airlines in gaining market share by attracting new customers. After a market research, it has been found that most of the people who preferred traditional modes of transportation have started considering flights as an option because of its time efficiency. This has increased the demand of LCCs, and as per market laws, rise in demand leads to increased supply.

Existing carriers like IndiGo, GoAir and SpiceJet added a number of flights on popular routes and introduced new ones on many to meet the demand. Apart from this, global carriers such as AirAsia also tried to capitalise the scope by starting services in the country. All these airlines provide top-quality services to their passengers at the lowest possible cost. However, passengers can get extra value of their money by availing GoAir, indigo or SpiceJet offers announced by them. As per reports, the cost of booking an air ticket was lowest in this festive season – October to December. It is considered as the peak season for travel as festivals like Dussehra, Deepawali and Christmas fall in these months, followed by the New Year. The occupancy level jumps high and may go up to 100 per cent.

As per reports, in the previous years, airfares in the festive season rose between 10 to 30 per cent, but this year a different trend was seen. The cost of making reservation is 20 per cent lower this year when compared to the statistics of 2013. On routes likes Mumbai and Goa, Bangalore and Delhi – Mumbai, the average flight booking price is INR 3500. Similarly, on busy international routes like Delhi to Dubai and Mumbai to Hong-Kong, it is around INR 10500, which is over 10 per cent lower than the previous year. It is expected that load factor may witness a record growth because of these prices.

Visiting Different Indian Cities at the Lowest Air Fare

As per several researches and reports, the Middle Eastern and Asian markets may emerge as the largest for the aviation service providers. Countries like China, India and Dubai are on the top of the list, where market players are showing their interest. This is the reason people can see a number of players settling their bases in these countries. The Malaysia-based airline AirAsia recently commenced its services in India. It provided the lowest air fare to attract new fliers and has been quite successful so far. This has induced other carriers to bring down the cost and further improve their quality. Being an underutilised market, there is a plethora of scope, and new players are capitalising it to their fullest.

Air Asia recently launched some new flights, which marked initiation of its services in the northern part of the country. Most of them are on non-metro routes as rivals like SpiceJet, IndiGo and Go Air are already popular on them. A similar step has been taken by Air India – the flag carrier of the nation. It has recently announced operations on Delhi to Pantnagar route from the 14th of October. Now, travellers wanting to enjoy their vacations in the valleys or experiencing boat rides in Nainital can opt for these flights. Earlier, Kingfisher used to provide services on this route, but due to certain reasons, these were barred by the government. As per reports, operations will be resumed to this destination by Air India, which is planning to operate four weekly flights. Travellers can reserve their seats now, but their travel date has to fall on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday or Sunday.

Travellers planning an adventure trip to Jim Corbett Wildlife National Park or destinations like Ranikhet and Bhimtal can avail these services as Pantnagar is gateway point. Apart from this, the carrier has also launched operations to a number of other regional stations, including Lilabari, Silchar and Shillong. It has been operating flights to Indore, Mumbai, Delhi, Lucknow and other popular routes since years. The carrier has managed to be one of the leading airlines of the country by providing flawless facilities to almost all the cities of the country.