Stupid question - why do SpiceJet/IndiGo etc do not have interline agreement?
Jul 16, 2012, 5:36 am
#1
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Stupid question - why do SpiceJet/IndiGo etc do not have interline agreement?
All,
I am based in PNQ and really really hate driving to Mumbai to catch my international flights and vice-versa on my way back.
One option is to take the evening Jet flight to Mumbai, but it leaves too early (5:30 PMish I believe) and results in a long lay-over in Mumbai.
Second option is to take the Jet flight to Delhi - that leaves a little later - around 7:00 PMish, a shorter layover, but still a bit longer.
However, I see SpiceJet and Indigo have later flights to Delhi or Chennai from where I can get on to BA flights. Which brings up the question - why would these airlines not have interlining agreements? Does it involve alignment of systems and processes and the cost outweighs the benefits and the market too small as they are happy catering to the domestic customer?
Just trying to understand.
I am based in PNQ and really really hate driving to Mumbai to catch my international flights and vice-versa on my way back.
One option is to take the evening Jet flight to Mumbai, but it leaves too early (5:30 PMish I believe) and results in a long lay-over in Mumbai.
Second option is to take the Jet flight to Delhi - that leaves a little later - around 7:00 PMish, a shorter layover, but still a bit longer.
However, I see SpiceJet and Indigo have later flights to Delhi or Chennai from where I can get on to BA flights. Which brings up the question - why would these airlines not have interlining agreements? Does it involve alignment of systems and processes and the cost outweighs the benefits and the market too small as they are happy catering to the domestic customer?
Just trying to understand.
Jul 16, 2012, 5:51 am
#2
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: bombay
Posts: 1,408
They're LCCs. Typically, they don't even do connections between two of their own flights. Interlining with another airline has costs associated with it, that don't work in an LCC model (unless you're called Jet Whatever, then it's all about HighCost and LoFares).
Last edited by jasepl; Jul 16, 2012 at 6:01 am
Jul 16, 2012, 2:22 pm
#3
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All,
I am based in PNQ and really really hate driving to Mumbai to catch my international flights and vice-versa on my way back.
One option is to take the evening Jet flight to Mumbai, but it leaves too early (5:30 PMish I believe) and results in a long lay-over in Mumbai.
Second option is to take the Jet flight to Delhi - that leaves a little later - around 7:00 PMish, a shorter layover, but still a bit longer.
However, I see SpiceJet and Indigo have later flights to Delhi or Chennai from where I can get on to BA flights. Which brings up the question - why would these airlines not have interlining agreements? Does it involve alignment of systems and processes and the cost outweighs the benefits and the market too small as they are happy catering to the domestic customer?
Just trying to understand.
I am based in PNQ and really really hate driving to Mumbai to catch my international flights and vice-versa on my way back.
One option is to take the evening Jet flight to Mumbai, but it leaves too early (5:30 PMish I believe) and results in a long lay-over in Mumbai.
Second option is to take the Jet flight to Delhi - that leaves a little later - around 7:00 PMish, a shorter layover, but still a bit longer.
However, I see SpiceJet and Indigo have later flights to Delhi or Chennai from where I can get on to BA flights. Which brings up the question - why would these airlines not have interlining agreements? Does it involve alignment of systems and processes and the cost outweighs the benefits and the market too small as they are happy catering to the domestic customer?
Just trying to understand.
what time is your international flight????
Jul 16, 2012, 9:44 pm
#4
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Stupid question - why do SpiceJet/IndiGo etc do not have interline agreement?
I usually take BA flights which leave around 2:30am ish from both BOM & DEL
Jul 17, 2012, 1:02 am
#5
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Jul 17, 2012, 2:30 am
#6
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Stupid question - why do SpiceJet/IndiGo etc do not have interline agreement?
1. Why is it too late?
2. Sorry - separate tickets is a minefield when not if there are irrops.
2. Sorry - separate tickets is a minefield when not if there are irrops.
Jul 17, 2012, 3:21 am
#7
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Gets in a 1:40 AM... not enough time to connect to a 2:30 AM international departure
When there are 2 flights leaving within 5 minutes of each other, you can always buy a refundable ticket on both and take whichever one is on-time...
Regardless, keep in mind that you will have to change terminals at DEL if you don't take AI or 9W.
Regardless, keep in mind that you will have to change terminals at DEL if you don't take AI or 9W.
Jul 17, 2012, 11:19 am
#8
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Stupid question - why do SpiceJet/IndiGo etc do not have interline agreement?
Thanks. The advice to buy refundable tix though maybe feasible, does not meet my real need. The reason I like to fly out of Pune and not Mumbai as I want to relax a bit after my checkin. If I still have to worry about baggage and refundable tix etc, I'll stick to 9W or drive to Mumbai.
Jul 20, 2012, 2:19 pm
#9
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It has been explained before that once an airline is a signatory to MITA, it can interline with every signatory of MITA. For LCC's and for regional airlines it may not make sense to sign MITA agreement, as it's not free.
If an airline is not interested in being a feeder to other airlines, it makes little sense for it to sign MITA.
AN airline may also sign individual agreements with specific airline for interlining.
Strictly speaking MITA provisions for interlining apply only to a single itinerary. Two separate tickets do not automatically allow interlining.
If an airline is not interested in being a feeder to other airlines, it makes little sense for it to sign MITA.
AN airline may also sign individual agreements with specific airline for interlining.
Strictly speaking MITA provisions for interlining apply only to a single itinerary. Two separate tickets do not automatically allow interlining.
Jul 20, 2012, 9:53 pm
#10
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9W just told me that they have stopped merging 9W-9W itineraries too now. All segments MUST be on the same ticket number to allow through baggage check-in.
Jul 20, 2012, 10:23 pm
#11
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Air India Express had a daily flight Pune to Mumbai that came in from DXB on some days and SIN (i think on other days).
departure was at midnight from PNQ arrival 30 mins later intl terminal. Very convenient and not too expensive.
used to be surprisingly full, with connecting passengers i think.
departure was at midnight from PNQ arrival 30 mins later intl terminal. Very convenient and not too expensive.
used to be surprisingly full, with connecting passengers i think.
Jul 21, 2012, 12:50 am
#12
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One of the few LCCs that interline is JetBlue(B6), mainly out of JFK. But its just a oneway street, B6 only tries to get traffic from other airlines onto their flights. Nice idea, especially in JFK where many international airlines land and have no option to get their pax on flights into the hinterland.
Could be a concept for India too, but which gateway has easy transfer possibilities for LCC<>Longhaul? BLR maybe? DEL & BOM are definitely out...
Could be a concept for India too, but which gateway has easy transfer possibilities for LCC<>Longhaul? BLR maybe? DEL & BOM are definitely out...
Jul 21, 2012, 12:52 am
#13
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It could be that that's the official line (help cover their exposure in the event of eventualities) but individual stations / agents still might do it in practice.
Jul 21, 2012, 5:00 am
#14
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No I called up the airport manager in Goa to confirm (Cause I'm flying GOI-BOM / BOM-BRU) on two separate tickets and she said it's possible they don't do it anymore since it's likely that the bag will be misplaced in BOM.
Jul 21, 2012, 5:18 am
#15
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However, it was just a couple of months ago and actually at GOI that the excellent check-in agent happily tagged bags without being asked.
A bunch of us checked in together, but were headed to different places. The agent saw and overheard us trying to coordinate bags and asked if she could help. Next thing you know, she had happily tagged my cousin's bag all the way to Narita, even though GOI-BOM was on JetKonnect (9W) and BOM-NRT was on All Nippon.
It's one thing not to interline when the flights are on separate carriers and separate tickets. But not to allow Jet-to-Jet? That's a new one.
And that's brave of you to do GOI-BRU on Jet. What are you going to do for the delightful 6 hour-layover on the outbound and the even more delightful 8 hours on the return?