IndiGo takes on Vistara, adds flights to Ahmedabad

IndiGo has stepped up capacity on Vistara's launch routes and has announced additional flights between Mumbai-Ahemdabad and Delhi-Ahmedabad.

Vistara, which is a joint venture of Tata group and Singapore Airlines,will launch its service from January 9 connecting three cities – Delhi,Mumbai and Ahmedabad.

IndiGo is the largest domestic airline with a market share of over 33 percent and  flies 88 Airbus A320 planes. Intensifying the competition the airline is adding flights on Vistara's launch routes four days before the latter's maiden flight.

IndiGo is adding a fifth daily frequency between Delhi-Ahmedabad (from Sunday) and a sixth daily flight between Mumbai-Ahemdabad from Monday.

It is also adding flights between Delhi-Pune, Pune-Bangalore and Kolkata-Agartala.

“We hope both holiday and business travellers as well as many students across the six cities  would find the new flights attractive and convenient,'' IndiGo president Aditya Ghosh said in a statement.

In sign of growing competition Jet Airways earlier said it was giving double to triple bonus frequent flyer miles to passengers on the Vistara routes.

Jet Airways economy class passengers will get double the number of miles and business class will get three times the number offered now. The additional miles are being offered only on Mumbai-Delhi and Mumbai-Ahmedabad and for January-March travel.

Vistara is offering a value-based frequent flyer programme called Club Vistara. Loyalty points accrue on the actual spending on ticket fare, not on miles flown. The airline has done away with a physical loyalty card. It offers 500 bonus points to customers on enrolment in the programme and an extra 200 on bookings.