IndiGo, Jet slash fares by up to 50%

Jet has announced 20 lakh seats on discount

It is raining discounts for domestic air travellers. Over a month after SpiceJet dropped its fare to one rupee in a three day sale offer its rivals and the two largest airlines IndiGo and Jet Airways have slashed fares by upto 30-50% on domestic routes.

Both the airlines have introduced low fares despite caution from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation last month on dropping fares.

On Tuesday, Jet Airways announced it was selling 20 lakh seats across its 450 daily flights at discounted price varying from Rs 2250 - Rs 3,800 depending on the sector distance. The discount offer was available for bookings till February 24 and valid for travel till December end, the airline informed the agents. SpiceJet had a standard Rs 2,013 fare on all its routes irrespective of distance between destinations.

IndiGo did not release sale offer details to agents but the airline too is selling tickets on select flights at discounted price which is 30-40% cheaper than normal fare. The airline has not made announcement on validity of its offer.

Jet Airways is selling at Rs 2,250 fare on routes less than 750 kms (Mumbai-Baroda or Mumbai-Goa), Rs 3,300 fare on routes between 1,000-1,400 kms (Mumbai-Delhi) and Rs 3,800 fare on routes over 1,400 kms (Mumbai-Kolkata, Delhi-Chennai, Delhi-Guwahati).

According to sources discount fares offered by Jet Airways and IndiGo are not offered on all flights. "It is primarily on flights which have limited loads. The offer has been introduced to stimulate demand and boost forward bookings. The tickets in this offer are non- refundable,'' a source said.

Last month SpiceJet unleashed a fare war offering one million one-way tickets in a three day sale offer for travel to all domestic destinations between February 1 and April 30. IndiGo too had dropped fares in reaction to SpiceJet offer but withdrew the offer within few hours. The airline claimed it sold seven lakh tickets collecting Rs 160 crore in three day sale.