 Jet
Airways (India's No: 1 private airline) and
its Chairman Naresh Goyal, have been in the
news lately. The airline in its 9th year of exsistence,
has captured 42% of the domestic market share. It
is the only airline in India to be making profits.
Jet Airways profit for the year ending 31st March
2001 was Rs 12.5 crores compared to Indian Airlines
loss of Rs. 177 crores.
Even though Jet Airways has only 33 aircraft (when
compared to Indian Airlines 57) it has more number
of flights per day (215 when compared to Indian
Airlines 208). The average age of a Jet Airways
aircraft is only 2.8 years when compared to Indian
Airlines 13 years!
Naresh Goyal, a B.Com graduate and a "travel
agent turned entrepreneur" from Patiala is considered
to be a tough man who gives lot of importance to
minute details. He believes in the fact that a satisfied
customer is the best defense against the threat
of new entrants.
 Jet
Airways gives a lot of importance to service and
more so for the business class passengers. For Frequent
Flyers, they have a separate programme called Jet
Privilege for members who have the option of
not only tele-checking 3 hours before the flight
but also has many other attractive services including
the corporate business lounges which are available
at all major airports in India. It gives the passengers
time to relax, have some refreshments, catch up
with work and also surf the net through the internet
terminals provided at the lounges.
The flight attendants on the flight are all young
(less than half the age of the Indian Airlines air
hostess). They have been through rigorous training
on personal grooming and etiquette (smallest details
of nail polish and deodorants are regulated).
Last month, Jet Airways introduced an in-flight
mail order shopping catalogue which one can use
to send a gift to their near and dear ones.
Jet Airways in its 9th year of operation welcomed
its 25 millionth passenger in the month of
June 2001.
 Today
Jet Airways flies 17,000 passengers everyday and
makes sure that all passengers on a long flight
are pampered with an ever-smiling crew, cold towels
and three course meals. Some of its regular flyers
even get surprise complimentary upgrades from economy
to business class once in a while.
Now that Indian Airlines is flying to some of the
neighboring countries and doing well in that sector,
Jet Airways has also applied for permission to fly
to those countries - such as Singapore, Dubai and
Bangkok.
In fact Jet's spectacular success was ensured by
Indian Airlines itself and all those private airlines
that have come and then faded away, except for Sahara.
Now that Indian Airlines is awaiting a buyer and
if it happens, Jet Airways will face a worthy opponent!
Also if Jet Airways gets into the International
arena, they have to face stiff competition from
the International biggies like Singapore Airlines,
Cathay Pacific, British Airways, etc. |
4:14:08 PM 
