Bangladesh is an important aviation market
William Boulter, chief commercial officer of IndiGo, tells The Independent
SHARIF AHMED
IndiGo is the largest individual Asian low-cost carrier in terms of jet fleet size and number of passengers carried, and the seventh largest carrier in Asia, with over 46 million passengers carried in 2017.
With a network of 57 destinations, a fleet of 178 aircraft and more than 1,200 flights a day, IndiGo has launched DhakaKolkata flights with an eye to attract passengers with
one-way tickets for Tk. 4,918 from August 1.
William Boulter, chief commercial officer (CCO) of IndiGo, recently shared IndiGos business policies and market plans in Bangladesh in an exclusive interview with The Independent. Here are excerpts:
IndiGo recently announced Dhaka as its ninth international destination and will operate daily flights between Dhaka and Kolkata with convenient connections to Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi and Mumbai and more cities in India.
The Independent: Why has IndiGo chosen to start operations in Bangladesh?
William Boulter: Bangladesh is an increasingly important aviation market, with approximately 170 million people. The incomes of middle-class people are growing in Bangladesh, as is the growing propensity to travel outside the country. Secondly, the visa regime between Bangladesh and India is being liberalised and the number of visas being issued is increasing as well. Nearly 7,000 visas are being issued every day.
The Independent: Tell us something about the IndiGos operations in Bangladesh.
William Boulter: We will operate daily flights between Dhaka and Kolkata. IndiGo has completed 12 years of successful operations in the India market as a low-cost carrier, and adding Dhaka to its network will further augment the regional connectivity that we aspire to provide to our customers.
The Independent: What attributes would Bangladeshi people put to travel by IndiGo?
William Boulter: IndiGo has three prime powerful attributes: it is a low-cost carrier, the service is courteous and hassle-free, and its on-time performance is great.
Courteous and hassle-free service includes a ticketless system, web check-in, and the convenience of selecting the seats you want.
We have on-time performance of more than 85 per cent. Also, we have 41.3 per cent market share of domestic passengers in India in terms of volumes. Our closest competitors have the lowest market share of less than 20 per cent. In the past three years, IndiGo has grown rapidly. A couple of years back, the airline had 110 aircraft. This has grown to 178 aircraft.
The Independent: What are the types of packages offered by IndiGo?
William Boulter: IndiGo has special fares for three types of segments: senior citizens, students, and family fares, wherein four to nine people travel together.
IndiGo has introduced a 6E SME flier program to fulfil the needs of the small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Those using the SME Program can avail benefits such as unlimited booking changes, lower cancellation charges and a free snack and a beverage. Apart from benefits like lower cancellation fees and complimentary meals, IndiGo also provides a detailed management information system (MIS) to help businesses track their travel spends.
The flights are designed to cater to business and leisure travellers who are constantly on the lookout for new and affordable flying options.
