News: GoAir takes tariff war to different plane

(BL 31/03/2006) New Delhi - Taking the tariff war in the Indian aviation sector to a different plane, budget carrier GoAir on Friday announced that it would offer concessions on its tickets to customers, who succeed in getting a ticket from a rival airline that is cheaper than its own on the same sector.

The airline, owned by the Wadia group, would also reimburse the cost of immediate cancellation of its competitor's tickets.

Announcing the competitive move to 'commoditise' air travel, Jeh Wadia, Managing Director, GoAir, said: "If the price paid for the ticket bought on a competing airline is lower than the price paid for the GoAir ticket, then GoAir will adjust double the difference between its fare and the fare of the competing carrier as credit," which can be used to purchase GoAir tickets.

"GoAir will also reimburse the cost of cancellation done immediately of the other airline's ticket as credit, which can be used to purchase GoAir tickets," he said, adding that this "challenge will give the customer value for money which no other airline offers."

He said that the tickets of the airline at present ranged from Rs 999 to Rs 2,999 and announced that the Delhi-Mumbai flight would range between Rs 999 till Rs 4,999 asking the passengers to book early to get the concessional fares.