FAR as the acquisition of Air Sahara by Jet Airways goes, I have no concern on the business transaction. In fact, it is a value proposition for Jet Airways from every perspective — financial, strategic (as it will allow Jet Airways to fly into America, in which it has had a problem), commercial, operational, technical, HR and infrastructure. In short, they have the same aircraft, same engineering, same pilots, same ground handling equipment; they fly similar routes and therefore, the acquisition makes utmost sense.

My major concern is with the consolidation of infrastructure, post-acquisition. India has a shortage of infrastructure especially in terms of night parking, take-off and landing slots and check-in counters. Take night parking, for example. A new airline requires minimum of six aircraft in a base in order to achieve economies of scale. Due to lack of infrastructure, we are forced to park six aircraft in three different bases, thereby creating a higher cost structure for the airline.

Internationally, the difference between a low-cost carrier (LCC) and full service carrier (FCC), in terms of cost, is about 60-65%. In India, we have only a cost difference of about 35%. The main reason for this is that internationally there is a separate policy framework for FCCs and LCCs, wherein essentially for LCCs, they have lower parking/landing/navigational charges. In addition, they also have low cost terminals that offer less frills but also lower costs.

To sum up, my concern is with the existing allocation of infrastructure, post-acquisition and under development. No doubt the government will transparently allocate this infrastructure fairly, thereby, creating a neutrally competitive environment.

Sunday Express, New Delhi / Mumbai: Low-cost airline GoAir is adding more routes. In February, the airline plans to connect four more cities to Mumbai, namely Baroda, Kochi, Indore and Pune. It also intends to launch two new sectors, Chennai-Pune-Chennai and Ahmedabad-Pune-Ahmedabad. As a promotional offer, GoAir is offering 10,000 free tickets (strictly speaking, not free, as you have to pay a tax of Rs 221) on these new routes per month for the next three months. Bookings will stay open till March 26.

Indian Express, Express News Service, Pune: Go Air has also announced plans to start daily flights from Pune to Ahmedabad and Chennai. The airlines will operate the Airbus A320 aircraft on the route. As an inaugural incentive, the airline is providing 10,000 free tickets to its new destinations. Bookings for the ‘GoAir FreeFares’ have already started and will be valid till March 26 on a ‘first come first serve’ basis till stocks last.

Meanwhile, Go Air has also announced plans to start daily flights from Pune to Ahmedabad and Chennai. The airlines will operate the Airbus A320 aircraft on the route. As an inaugural incentive, the airline is providing 10,000 free tickets to its new destinations. Bookings for the ‘GoAir FreeFares’ have already started and will be valid till March 26 on a ‘first come first serve’ basis till stocks last.

Passengers can make their booking from any of the GoAir Outlets that include GoTravelAgents, GoTATAIndicom Shops, GoInlott, GoCyber Cafis, GoCall Centre, GoPCOs, Internet and the GoAirport Office.

The Hindu Business Line, Mumbai: GOAIR, the low-cost carrier promoted by the Wadia Group, will launch services to four new destinations - Baroda, Kochi, Pune and Indore - from February1.

With its third A320 aircraft in place, the airline will also enter two new sectors - Chennai-Pune-Chennai and Pune-Ahmedabad-Pune - next month.

Continuing with its earlier practice of providing free tickets on the launch of operations to new destinations, GoAir FreeFares will offer 10,000 free tickets to the four new destinations and on the two sectors to be launched next month.

Bookings on GoAir FreeFares commenced on January 16, and are valid every day till March 26, on a `first-come first-serve' basis. Passengers availing themselves of the free fares will get a `zero fare' and will only have to pay taxes amounting to Rs 221.

GoAir FreeFares was earlier offered on the Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Coimbatore, Goa, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Jaipur routes.

According to an official statement, the launch of the new operations would increase GoAir's route strength to 14 cities and 30 flights a day, connecting important business and leisure destinations within the country. Its existing destinations are Mumbai, Goa, Ahmedabad, Coimbatore, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chennai and Jaipur.

The statement quoting Mr Jeh Wadia, Managing Director, GoAir, said: "During the next nine months from January to September, we would aggressively look at route expansion. The addition of new routes endorses our commitment to our passengers and will enhance the business and tourist potential of these centres."

Mr Wadia said the airline planned to acquire seven aircraft by September 2006. "We are exploring options to commence operations from cities such as Thiruvananthapuram, Nagpur, Bhubaneshwar, Srinagar, Jammu, Delhi and Kolkata. However, all this will be in a phased manner," he said.

The airline will also enter two new sectors - Chennai-Pune-Chennai and Pune- Ahmedabad-Pune.

Financial Express, PTI, Mumbai: Wadia Group-promoted no-frills airline Go Air on Wednesday said it would start services to the cities of Baroda, Indore, Kochi and Pune and two sectors -- Chennai-Pune and Ahmedabad-Pune -- in February.

With the addition of these new destinations and sectors, the airline would increase its route strength to 14 cities across the country with 30 flights a day, a go Air release said here today.

The airline presently operates to ten cities.

Go Air also announced 10,000 free tickets on its new destinations, it said, adding the bookings would commence on January 16 and opened till march 26.

The carrier operates two Airbus A-320 aircraft with a single class, 180-seat configuration, and plans to expand its fleet to 36 aircraft in the next three years.

Business Standard, P R Sanjai - Mumbai: GoAir, the Wadia group-promoted low-cost airline, is planning to fly to six more destinations from February 1 and will offer 10,000 free tickets to these new sectors.

The airline’s routes would be in the order Mumbai-Baroda-Mumbai, Mumbai-Kochi-Mumbai, Mumbai-Pune-Mumbai, Mumbai-Indore-Mumbai, Chennai-Pune-Chennai and Pune-Ahmedabad-Pune.

Confirming the news, Jeh Wadia, the managing director of GoAir, said the bookings for the new sectors would start on January 16.

He added that the no-frills airline would connect 14 destinations. Everyday, the airline would have more than 30 flights. The airline has at its disposal three A320 aircraft. Right now, GoAir operates 18 flights in a day and connects to eight destinations.

“GoAir is also exploring plans to start operations from cities such as Thiruvananthapuram, Nagpur, Bhubaneswar, Srinagar, Jammu, Delhi and Kolkata,” Wadia said.

The airline has tied up with public call offices (PCOs) and cyber cafes for selling tickets. “Passengers can make their bookings from any of the GoAir outlets including travel agents, Tata Indicom shops, Inlott centres, cybercafes, call centres, PCOs, the internet and GoAirport office,” he added.

Wadia said the airline was in talks with aircraft manufacturers – Boeing and Airbus – for acquiring 50 aircraft by 2008 and negotiations would conclude soon.

He also said, “We are evaluating the aviation scenario in India in light of the proposed strategic tie-up between Jet Airways and Air Sahara.”

DNA – Mumbai: Jeh Wadia – promoted GoAir is expected to get the delivery of its third aircraft (A320) in a fortnight. The budget carrier, which was launched in October last year, already has two leased A320s which it operates on the Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Jaipur, Coimbatore and Hyderabad routes.

Hindustan Times, Sabarinath M- Mumbai: Entry of expatriates into the fledgling Indian low-cost airline sector is showing no signs of respite. GoAir, promoted by the Wadia group, has recently hired three expats for key position as part of efforts to strengthen the top management.

GoAir has roped in Cor Blokziji for the position of chief operating officer. Cor Blokziji (55) is joining GoAir from Fly Niki which has a strategic alliance with Air Berlin. In January 2004, Air Berlin has announced cooperation with former Formula One driver Niki Lauda’s Austria-based airline Fly Niki.

Cor Blokziji, who will now report to GoAir managing director Jeh Wadia, is expected to handle the day-to-day operations of the airline. Bert Stenvert is also joining the airline from Fly Niki as vice president (ground operations).

Before playing a key role in the ground operations of Fly Niki, Bert Stenvert was the head of ground operations at Vienna Airport. Beate Bauer (40) is the next person to join GoAir from Fly Niki. She will take up the key position of administrator in the Wadia –controlled airline.

The hiring of executives comes close on the heels of GoAir getting its second Airbus aircraft. GoAir, which has launched operations on November 4 with an Airbus A-320 with 180 all-economy seats, is now flying in the Mumbai-Ahmedabad- Mumbai, Mumbai- Goa-Mumbai and the Mumbai- Coimbatore- Mumbai sectors.

With the arrival of the second aircraft, the airline is now readying for a major route expansion. GoAir plans to operate services to Chennai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Nagpur, Jaipur and Pune. Sources said that the appointment of top executives is mainly aims at streamlining the route expansion plan.

GoAir, which intends to expand its fleet to 36 aircraft in three years, is the third low-cost airline to take wings after Air Deccan and Spice Jet.

Hindustan Times – Mumbai: The year 2005 was an interesting one for me. It’s not every year that you launch an airline. In 2006, I plan to take GoAir forward. The idea is to plan growth strategies for GoAir. And I hope I am able to create a sustainable and profitable airline.

It will be an eventful year because we would be adding new sectors to our network. GoAir will also be flying to all crucial sector – Delhi. Taking a lesson from the experience of the other airlines, we are training our pilots for landing even in fog conditions in Delhi.

On the Personal front, I wish I have more time to spend with my wife and two-year old son. The year is very significant for me and I am looking forward to the birth of my second child in May.

I never make New Year resolutions and this year is no different.

"Connectivity" Is The Buzz Word In Jeh Wadia's No-Frills, Low-cost Airline Hindu Magazine, Ronita Torcato, Chennai: ON a hot, muggy afternoon, a large number of small children ran up and down the Santa Cruz airport's departure terminal, laughing and squealing. A chubby little boy, who couldn't have been more than four or five, chortled happily in his mother's arms. The children suffer from cancer, leukemia, cerebral palsy, thalassemia or Down's syndrome.

"Connectivity" Is The Buzz Word In Jeh Wadia's No-Frills, Low-cost Airline Hindu Magazine, Ronita Torcato, Chennai: ON a hot, muggy afternoon, a large number of small children ran up and down the Santa Cruz airport's departure terminal, laughing and squealing. A chubby little boy, who couldn't have been more than four or five, chortled happily in his mother's arms. The children suffer from cancer, leukemia, cerebral palsy, thalassemia or Down's syndrome.

The children and their parents, 116 in all, had converged at the airport for a joyride on board a spanking new plane, the first in a fleet of 36 to comprise the Wadia Group's newest endeavour — a low cost airline, aptly named GoAir by Celina, the Australian born wife of its Managing Director, Jehangir (Jeh) Wadia.

Low profile: The airline is Jeh's brainchild; the joy ride on GoAir's inaugural flight was his mother, Maureen's idea. Jeh is the quiet, unassuming one, maintaining a low profile, averse to giving interviews.

Jeh, as he prefers to be addressed, initially went through training in The Bombay Dyeing & Mfg Co Ltd, Mumbai, then rotated various positions till last October when he became the Deputy Managing Director of The Bombay Burmah Trading Corporation which maintains four tea and coffee plantations in Tamil Nadu.

In this time he began to look at new strategic investments for the company. One such financial investment was a joint venture with The Port Singapore Authority (PSA), another example is GoAir, the no-frills airline.

"Connectivity", "commoditise" and "grow" are the Wadia scion's favourite words, as he talks about "the People's Airline". Connectivity is the reason why he launched GoAir.

Does he think GoAir can successfully negotiate its place in India's crowded skies? India, he says, reeling off a succession of statistics, has a huge advantage over, say, China. "If you really study the market, you'll find there is no such thing as `crowded'. Only a huge opportunity waiting to be explored; a huge demand waiting to be tapped.

"Bombay Dyeing has paid dividends for the past 126 years; the Burmah Trading Corp is the second listed company on the Stock Exchange. The values and principles that have been incorporated for years in the Wadia Group — of trust and integrity — will also be inculcated into the airline business. I'm confident of GoAir's success. I believe there's room for all of us. We have functional airports in an industry whose growth rate is about four per cent. There's room for growth and expansion here as well."

GoaAir's fares are 40 per cent lower than that of traditional airlines and on an average 10 per cent higher than air-conditioned first and second-class railway fares. Bookings can be made six months in advance. The fares will rise closer to the departure date.

Elaborating on GoAir's pricing and sales strategy and its avowed goal of retaining its low-cost appeal, he said, "We continually emphasise the Book Early Mantra to obtain cheaper fares," says Jeh.

"I am thinking of people in the metros who would like to visit their aged parents and relatives; people who may want to visit their hometowns more often. One differential factor is the distribution mode. Our distribution network has been carefully researched, keeping in mind that our passengers should not have to travel a very long distance to purchase a GoAir ticket. We have also catered for people who are not computer-savvy and do not possess credit cards. These passengers will be able to purchase tickets in cash directly from GO-branded PCOs, travel agents, gas stations, post offices and cell-phone outlets. Others can dial our Customer Care Centre's toll number or book online at www.GoAir.in We also have cybercafes and have tied up with Tata Indicom and InLott in this regard. With an aggressive growth plan under way, we are in talks with various distribution outlets to further enhance our network."

Plans for future: Outlining plans for fleet and route expansion, Jeh said, "Our main objective is to focus on delivering a quality — consistent quality — assured and time-efficient product and service at affordable fares. We want to commoditise air travel in India by delivering low-cost fares with quality in price, efficiency and service. We want to give our customers the best value for money and make air travel affordable by all. It is our dream to increase air connectivity in India, and this is the first step in this direction. Our theme is Experience The Difference."

Volunteer: Not many know that his leisure hours are occupied volunteering at the Deendayal Research Institute (DRI) in Chitrakoot where, under the leadership of his father Nusli's friend, Nanaji Deshmukh, Jeh has adopted 2000 villages to make them totally self-reliant.
Hygiene, education, entrepreneur training, and agricultural development are just a few of the areas looked at by DRI.

"Nanaji envisions self reliance for 600,000 villages in his life time. It is my dream to translate Nanaji's vision of ameliorating the lives of this rural population." Dream. That's another of Jeh Wadia's favourite words.

Does Jeh Wadia believe in fate or destiny? "I believe in miracles. This joyride will not be a stand-alone item. There will be more treats in store for the sick and needy. This joyride will not be the last."