Jet Airways tweaks network, adds 20 flights

Cash-starved Jet Airways Tuesday announced introduction of 20 additional services across its domestic and international network starting December 1.

These additional services are part of the comprehensive network review by the airline, with the objective of strengthening its network at its hubs at Mumbai and Delhi, aimed at deploying assets on more productive and economically-efficient routes instead of uneconomic ones, Jet Airways said in a release.

These flights will be added from the airline's Mumbai and Delhi hubs, it said.

The new flights, on the international network, include a new non-stop service between Pune and Singapore, besides introduction of second daily services connecting Mumbai and Delhi with Doha as well as addition of a seventh daily frequency between Mumbai and Dubai, it said.

Also, Jet Airways will soon start a third daily frequency to Bangkok and Singapore each from Delhi and a third daily service to Singapore from Mumbai as well a fourth daily frequency between Delhi and Kathmandu, as per the release.

In all, the airline will add as many as 14 additional frequencies to ASEAN and Gulf region from its two hubs, it said.

On the domestic side, the services between Mumbai and Amritsar are being converted into a daily flight besides launching service on the DelhiAmritsar route, among others, it said.

There will also be increased frequencies on the Mumbai-Guwahati and Mumbai-Patna outes in addition to capacity enhancement on the Delhi-Jodhpur route by way of change of aircraft from regional jet ATR to narrow-body 737, Jet Airways said.

"The strategy will enable Jet Airways to offer extensive connectivity via Mumbai to most of its network in South and West India. Similarly, new services to Delhi will offer seamless connectivity to the North and East of India.

"Both the hubs will also supplement wide ranging domestic India access with connections to its growing international network, as the airline takes a further step towards developing connecting pathways between East and West, and growing as a regional hub in Asia," said Raj Sivakumar, Senior vice-president for worldwide sales & distribution, Jet Airways.

The new services, which are based on the recent network review will help the airline improve yields and leverage the advantages of its new, fuel-efficient B737 MAX fleet, six more of which are expected to join the fleet this fiscal, the release added.