Jet Konnect to fly biz class at budget prices

In a clear sign that the good times are back, Jet Airways Konnect, the all economy service from Jet Airways, will introduce a business class on its flights. The fares will be less than business class fares on the full-service flights of Jet Airways. The new class is being created by reconfiguring seats on Jet Konnect planes and will be available from Monday. This is expected to add five per cent to Jet Airway’s annual revenue, a senior company official said. “A business class one way ticket from New Delhi to Mumbai on Jet Konnect will cost Rs 12,000 all inclusive, compared to Rs 35,371 on the full-service flights,” he said. Jet Airways’ chief commercial officer Sudheer Raghavan said, “With its low fare, high quality, all economy product,Jet Konnect will offer a superior flight product that is close to Jet Airways’ full-service business class product at reasonable fares, as well as additional on- ground Jet Privilege benefits.”
The new seats, in what is touted as ‘Konnect Select’ class, is meant to cash in on the upswing in air travel, particularly by business executives, following the improvement in the global economic environment. The ‘Konnect Select’ premium cabin will be available on several domestic routes, the airline said in a statement on Thursday. The services will include in-flight reading material, a welcome nonalcoholic drink and hot meals, all complimentary JET Konnect has a fleet of 18 Boeing-737s.

“We have already replaced a few front economy class seats with eight business class seats each on seven aircraft. The conversion of the remaining 11 planes will be done in few days,” Raghavan added. Jet Airways, the country’s largest airline by market share, has a fleet of 112 aircraft, including 25 operated by its wholly owned subsidiary, JetLite. Jet Airways had launched the all-economy; no-frill Jet Konnect service in May last year. Konnect now contributes about half of Jet Airways’ revenue. “With the new business class, the contribution will rise to 55 per cent,” said KG Vishwanath, vice-president of commercial strategy and investor relations of Jet Airways. Meanwhile, Jet Airways is planning to order three or four ATR turboprop planes, either in outright purchase or on lease, within nine months. These will be used on short-haul routes. It now has 14 ATR planes.

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The above article was extracted from Skyline updates of Skyline College. Skyline College is amongst the top MBA and BBA institutes in Delhi, Gurgaon (NCR).