IndiGo Challenges Air India’s Market Lead with New Dual-Class Seating
Black Friday Travel Bonanza: Huge Discounts on Air India and IndiGo Flights
IndiGo, known for its low-cost model and leadership in frequency and capacity, and Air India, a full-service airline, represented opposite ends of the market. However, this scenario is changing rapidly.
IndiGo made history on Thursday with the launch of dual-class seating as flight 6E-6814 departed from Delhi to Mumbai. This new offering, branded as IndiGoStretch, will gradually be introduced on all flights between Delhi and Mumbai before expanding to other major cities.
Air India Challenges IndiGo’s Dominance
With the merger of Vistara into Air India, the competitive landscape among India’s leading airlines shifted dramatically. IndiGo, which had strategically developed its network of slots and routes in key cities like Mumbai, Delhi, and Bengaluru, had established itself as the market leader on the majority of the country’s top ten routes.
After the merger, Air India quickly overtook IndiGo in terms of flight frequencies and seat capacity on the two most heavily trafficked routes: Delhi-Mumbai and Delhi-Bengaluru.
The greater the variety of options available, the higher the likelihood of drawing in travelers who are looking to catch the next available flight.
Following the merger, both Vistara and Air India operate flights simultaneously between Delhi and Mumbai at various times throughout the day, resembling a formation flight.
IndiGo challenges Air India head-on. The airline is providing 12 seats in its IndiGoStretch configuration, while Air India typically offers only 8 business class seats in its A320 setup, which it is now transitioning to, similar to the current Vistara aircraft. Although IndiGo’s pitch is smaller and its seats lack the premium features found on Air India, the airline has strategically positioned itself with lower fares.
IndiGo’s introduction of its frequent flier program means that passengers can expect similar benefits to those offered by other programs. However, it will take some time for IndiGo to develop this program into a more comprehensive and competitive offering.
