South India eases SpiceJet woes

South Indian destinations seem to have given financially troubled SpiceJet reasons to cheer.

Its latest discount sale got a fillip from the region as it drove the growth in sales during the limited offer sale that ended on February 1.

The airline said it has witnessed an overwhelming response for its Super Sale Offer, the first sale for the year, with the booking volumes quadrupling on the first day of offer.

This indicates “continuing pent-up demand” in the market despite other airlines having held sales earlier in January, a statement said.

An analysis by the airline showed that the Super Sale offer has seen the highest demand for the New Delhi-Srinagar sector, which indicated that Kashmir Valley was recovering from the impact of the floods last year and once again assuming its rightful place as a hotspot for holidays.

The travel period under the sale covers summer vacation, contributing to this demand, the airline said.

However, the surprise element was the Vijayawada-Hyderabad sector, which became the second highest in terms of demand. Vijayawada is a big hub for automobile and FMCG, pharma and educational institutions.

Pune-Hyderabad was another sector that witnessed huge demand. Corporates and people travelling to Shirdi led to the excessive demand, the airline said.

“Madurai being a tourist destination and a gateway to southern Tamil Nadu, which is the land for temples, led to some encouraging demands for the Hyderabad-Madurai sector,” it added.

Commenting on the sale, Vinay Gupta, Founder and CEO of TripFactory, said that market-stimulating offers are not only beneficial for the airline industry but they also benefit the entire spectrum of travel and tourism ecosystem.

Echoing Gupta, Suresh John, Founder and CEO of RoomsTonite, said, “Sale offers like these not only benefit the airlines but also induce demand for the ancillary and related industries.”

 Government nod sought for taking Ajay Singh on board

SpiceJet on Tuesday said that it has approached the Civil Aviation Ministry seeking clearance for Ajay Singh to be inducted as a director of the carrier.

In a filing at the Bombay Stock Exchange, the airline said the company has filed an application with the ministry for security clearance for Singh for his appointment as director of the company. “Appropriate intimation will be provided by the company after the appointment of Singh as director of the company,” it said.

Singh is in the process of acquiring 58.46 per cent shares held by current promoter Kalanidhi Maran.