Indigo flaunts on-time performance muscle

New campaign takes a dig at competition, says records are fudged

Low-cost airline IndiGo has taken a dig at competition in a new advertisement that hints that other domestic airlines fudge their on-time performance records.

According to DGCA’s February data, IndiGo had 88.9 percent on-time performance below Jet Airways and Jetlite, which recorded 91.8 and 89.7 per cent, respectively.

The airline has not made a direct accusation, but the advertisement titled “What the Fudge” makes a distinction between IndiGo, which uses a technological tool to monitor its departure and arrivals, and others which keep manual records. The underlying message is that IndiGo cannot tamper with records but others have the chance to do so.

Gurgaon-based IndiGo, which is the second largest airline by market share, has built a brand image around its on-time departures. While airlines advertise low fares, marketing or other promotional offers on their websites, IndiGo is perhaps the only one to emphasise on on-time performance.

“On-time performance is core to our business,” an airline spokesperson says. IndiGo’s 51 planes are equipped with Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS), which is a digital data link system for transmission of short, relatively simple messages between aircraft and ground stations via radio or satellite.

“Our entire fleet of 51 aircraft is fitted with this technology. Before departure of every IndiGo flight, an automatic message is trigged from the aircraft via ACARS to our operations control centre (OCC) – and immediately the same departure time gets recorded in the software. Likewise, the moment an aircraft lands at the destination, an automatic message is trigged from the aircraft to the OCC. These timings are recorded ‘real time’, automatically through ACARS i.e. without a human intervention. Hence, our On Time Performance is diligently monitored for every flight – real time,'' the airline says. IndiGo says it is the only airline in India to use this technology.

“IndiGo has invested a lot in technology and it is paying dividends,” says a senior pilot in the airline. But it is not technology alone that is helping the airline to be on time. The turnaround time at airports is quicker than most other airlines. “Since it is not a full service carrier, not much cleaning is required. There are no trays to be collected. So even if there is a late arrival, the ground staff is able to turn around the aircraft in 15 minutes. Also there is a stress on timely departures and it is monitored on a daily basis,” the pilot says.

“IndiGo first created the product and is now creating an image,” says brand expert Harish Bijoor. “The ‘What the Fudge’ advertisement targets young contemporary audience,” he adds.

Airlines have in the past used advertisements to target rivals and poke fun. “It is not a new strategy, but IndiGo has done it nicely,” Bijoor says.

“Airlines do fudge records,” says an aviation source. “The DGCA does a cursory check of arrival and departure records from Mumbai, Delhi and a few other key airports, but takes data submitted by airlines on face value. Quite often airlines change schedule for certain days without informing the DGCA. This gives the possibility to fudge records,” he says.

Rival airlines say off the record that IndiGo has been able to achieve a good on-time performance because of inflated block times. A block time records the time taken from aircraft push back (at origin) to parking at the bay at destination. A higher block time gives an airline the extra cushion to account for a delay.

“Flying time between Bangalore to Chennai is 40 minutes but till two-three months ago, IndiGo had a block time of an hour,” an executive of a rival airline claims.

“This was brought to the notice of the DGCA, which has taken corrective action and now you see IndiGo’s on-time record falling,” a senior executive of another airline says.

Indigo did not respond on the issue of block time.