FYI: http://www.moneycontrol.com/india/ne...ofits/407101/1

IT has routes where they run regular Kingfisher flights while also running Kingfisher Red service flights on the very same route. The flight timings can even be pretty close to one another.

very interesting read, i get the impression that JetKonnect is only a temporary solution to get bums on seats in an attempt to build up loads so that when the econimic situation improves, they will have a loyal following rather then passengers becoming fans of the LCC like spicejet, indigo and GoAir.

It seems the Naresh Goyal still believes in premium service and thats exactly the same impression i got when i briefly met him at LHR a few months ago.

His staff on board believe that as well.

and as the article mentions "Our DNA is that of a premium, full service carrier, and we will put the seats back as soon as we see a revival"

Update in the Indian press on 18 Aug 09
 

This was reported in the Indian press today:

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Je...eration/503287

Seems like 9W IS destined for LCC-thrills after all !

Oh no!

Bugger! :(

I seriously cannot believe they would do this to themselves - a friend of mine who is flying Jet nowadays (he used to fly LCC's) is saying the food on Jet is now much worse (used to be excellent) and the FA's attitudes have worsened as well....

He prefers to fly IndiGo - says they are much more professional! :eek:

I've flown 9W a bit recently, and I won't say their food is much worse, in general. Certainly the snacks on the afternoon flights could do with a LOT more attention. Lunch and dinner seem to be at their usual standards.

However, I do agree that IndiGo is extremely good, particularly for an LCC. Very professional, cheerful and helpful, both on ground and inflight.

I'd agree wholeheartedly about the deterioration in Jet. In domestic Business, the food offerings, especially afternoon and late night (i.e. non-lunch or dinner designated flights) have really been poor recently. And this is on the so-called "flagship" domestic route of DEL-BOM!

These days, unless I am 100% sure it will a lunch/dinner flight, I always choose IT purely for the better catering, let alone the IFE, better ground service etc.

Yes, when "snacks" came in, replacing a real meal a few years ago, this was a big move backward....

Maybe they'll come out with a FF plan, huh?! ;)

Wouldn't hurt at all if they did!

:td: Oh well there is always IT

Yes, but for how much longer, I wonder...no bail out, spirits business supposedly supporting the airline, cash strapped for fuel. At least they don't seem to run out of class...:D

Guys, I just found this story by fluke: http://business.in.com/article/big-b...j-class/2492/2.

Quite detailed about how it transpired - not that I agree with it...

This quote is scary:

"To start with, Jet shifted six ATRs and two Boeing 737s, which were already all-economy, to the new brand. And almost instantaneously, Goyal’s team knew they had a winner. The market began to respond as if it had been waiting for it. The patronage came not just from individual fliers. Even corporate customers, who had their own cost-saving to implement, had begun to shop for lower fares, says Raj Sivakumar, Jet’s vice president for revenue management. "

But this one endorses my position:

"Almost every full service airline, be it British Airways’ Go or United Airlines’ Ted, has tried its hand at setting up a low cost model. Though the LCC recipe for success is well known, few full service airlines have been able to replicate it."

However, apparently they are successful at this, if you read the story, so we will have to deal with JetKonnect for a long, long time!! :td: :(

Oh, and the *most* important thing for me: "Seat pitch is being reduced to 32 inches"!

http://business.in.com/media/images/...00_667x500.jpg

Do we know what Jet's regular seat pitch is?

They just increased it (better in Y) about a year ago...but it was bad before!