GoAir to expand flight routes

GoAir, the Wadia group-promoted low-cost airline, is planning to fly to six more destinations from February 1 and will offer 10,000 free tickets to these new sectors.

The airline's routes would be in the order Mumbai-Baroda-Mumbai, Mumbai-Kochi-Mumbai, Mumbai-Pune-Mumbai, Mumbai-Indore-Mumbai, Chennai-Pune-Chennai and Pune-Ahmedabad-Pune.

Confirming the news, Jeh Wadia, the managing director of GoAir, said the bookings for the new sectors would start on January 16.

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He added that the no-frills airline would connect 14 destinations. Everyday, the airline would have more than 30 flights.

The airline has at its disposal three A320 aircraft. Right now, GoAir operates 18 flights in a day and connects to eight destinations.

"GoAir is also exploring plans to start operations from cities such as Thiruvananthapuram, Nagpur, Bhubaneswar, Srinagar, Jammu, Delhi and Kolkata," Wadia said.

The airline has tied up with public call offices and cyber cafes for selling tickets. "Passengers can make their bookings from any of the GoAir outlets including travel agents, Tata Indicom shops, Inlott centres, cybercafes, call centres, PCOs, the internet and GoAirport office," he added.

Wadia said the airline was in talks with aircraft manufacturers – Boeing and Airbus – for acquiring 50 aircraft by 2008 and negotiations would conclude soon.

He also said, "We are evaluating the aviation scenario in India in light of the proposed strategic tie-up between Jet Airways and Air Sahara."

With a clear focus on reducing costs the airline is looking at various other modes of distribution.

Asked about GoAir's proposed cargo venture, Wadia informed that the cargo and engineering wings were at the conceptual stage and a final decision would be taken soon.