Mumbai:
In a bid to clutch back its steeply falling market share, the cash-strapped Air India today launched a short-term promotional scheme for the domestic sector that offers passengers unlimited travel in the economy and executive classes for a 10-day period.
The promotional scheme, the platinum and silver passes, will be valid for 10 days, the airline said in a statement here.
"Our effort is to provide our passengers with the most competitive prices while ensuring the best customer service," said an AI spokesperson.
While a silver pass passenger can fly on the economy class to any domestic sector of one's choice for Rs 30,000, the platinum pass holder can travel in the executive class to any domestic route for Rs 50,000, inclusive of all taxes.
These passes are available for sale at the offices of Air India and approved agents from June 15 to July 15 and will be valid for travel up to September 25.
The day of commencement of the journey will be treated as the first day and 10 days will be counted from the date of the commencement of the journey for determining travel validity, the airline said.
Following the recent strike by its pilots, the market share of the airline has plummeted, and since the resumption of operations, it has been trying to yank back its lost seats.
Also, with a three-month moratorium on oil payment granted by the government late last week, the airline will be able to operate full capacity. Due to severe cash crunch, AI was operating only 80-85 per cent of its flights.
From last December onwards, AI was put on a cash-n-carry mode by oil companies to which the national carrier owes Rs 2,400 crore in oil payment dues.
Air India operates to 63 domestic destinations and has a network of 33 international destinations.