This Airline Is Tapping Into India’s Growing Love for Sports and Events-Led Tourism

Indian travelers are looking for unique experiences, and Singapore-based low-cost airline Scoot is counting on this trend to attract this market, said Brian Torrey, General Manager for India and West Asia, at Scoot, a subsidiary of Singapore Airlines.

“Indians are looking for experiential holidays, like going to concerts, or trying new sports, and more. And they want to get there seamlessly and efficiently,” he told Skift in an interview. This is why Torrey believes Scoot’s deployment of its new Embraer E190-E2 jets in underserved destinations will benefit. 

“These new jets are opening up new destinations to Indian travelers. They do not necessarily want to go to key metros anymore, and instead explore Tier-2 cities.”

He expects the Indian aviation industry to grow as all indicators such as population, economic growth, and travel demand remain positive. “For us, India is a top market. We operate to six destinations in India, but as a whole with Singapore Airlines, we cover 13 destinations. So, we are well placed for that growth in meeting the Indian travelers’ demand for unique travel and for more seamless travel that bypasses metros and connects directly from their hometown to the destination of their choice.”

Dealing With Competition: Indian carriers are trying to gain a larger share in India’s international travel market. And Scoot believes that the way to set itself apart is by highlighting what the airline does differently.

“India’s low-cost carriers are expanding their global footprint. But what we are offering could be something very small like offering a carry-on bag of 10 kg, instead of the standard 7 kg. We also connect via the Changi Airport, which is an attraction in itself and travelers do want to spend time there, according to the feedback that we have received. Then, we also have the ability to sell on to the Singapore Airlines network,” he said.

The airline’s passenger profile in India is very diverse, including students, leisure travelers, those visiting friends and family, and more. “We prefer digital marketing when we do our own sales. But we also have to reach Indian travelers through online travel agencies. So, our marketing strategy is to ensure that they showcase Scoot correctly,” Torrey said.

Air India Express Nearly Doubles Fleet to 100 Aircraft

Low-cost airline Air India Express on Monday inducted its 100th aircraft. The Boeing 737-8 aircraft was inaugurated on the Bengaluru-Hindon route. 

Since the privatization of Air India Group in January 2022, Air India Express' fleet has increased from 54 to 100 aircraft. It has also been working to expand its network and has become the first airline serving two airports in the National Capital Region (NCR): Delhi Airport and Hindon Airport. 

Recently, the airline has expanded its network to Bangkok, Dibrugarh, Dimapur, Hindon, Jammu, Patna, Phuket, and Port Blair. Speaking at the Skift Global Forum East last year, Air India Express Managing Director Aloke Singh said that the airline is focusing on serving smaller cities. 

“Air India Express operates from the smaller Tier-2, Tier-3 cities into points in the Middle East and Southeast Asia," Singh said. "Smaller regions are markets that we understand well. We are not in the hub-to-hub markets, and those markets are served by full-service Air India,” he said.

Navi Mumbai Airport to Get Separate Terminal for VVIPs

The upcoming Navi Mumbai Airport is planning an exclusive VVIP terminal for elite guests, including politicians, top bureaucrats, and billionaires, according to media reports. The independent terminal is a part of the airport’s third expansion phase. 

Construction of the terminal is expected to commence next year and be completed by 2030. It is expected to serve central and state government officials, such as chief ministers, deputy chief ministers, governors, and defence personnel. Reports also suggest that the families of the airport’s promoters would be able to access the terminal, which will handle its general aviation operations separately from the main terminals. 

YoloBus Launches First Women-Only Intercity Bus Service

Intercity bus travel platform YoloBus has started India’s first women-only intercity bus service. The service commenced on the Gurugram-Chandigarh route over the weekend. 

Ixigo-owned online bus ticketing platform AbhiBus is also facilitating bookings for the service. This has come as the platform has seen an increase in bookings from female travelers. “Over the last three months, we have seen a 54% year-on-year increase in bookings by female travellers, with solo female traveller bookings up by 50% year-on-year,” said AbhiBus Chief Operating Officer Rohit Sharma.

New Helicopter Service in Uttarakhand

Private helicopter company Heritage Aviation has started a new helicopter service in Uttarakhand. The service will commence under the Indian government’s regional air connectivity scheme UDAN. In a statement, the company said that the service will connect key cities in the state, including Dehradun, Nainital, Bageshwar, and Haldwani.

The service aims to reduce the travel time between these cities. “A road journey from Dehradun to Nainital typically takes six to seven hours, whereas this helicopter service will complete the same journey in 50 minutes,” the company said in a statement. The service will operate on 7-seater helicopters, and two daily flights will be operated on each route.