HYDERABAD, March 22: In the first such instance of the national carrier tie-up with a state government, the Air India and the government of Andhra Pradesh are all set to embark on a joint marketing drive to push the airlines services from Hyderabad. The aggressive marketing pitch intended to put the state on the international tourist map as also to make it more accessible to potential investors is slated to begin with the maiden flight by Air India to Singapore from Hyderabad next Sunday. Though some international flights do operate from Hyderabad, both by Indian Airlines and Air India, which was plying the Hyderabad-Jeddah flight till recently but had to discontinue, much importance is being given to it by AP chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu who had to do some high-level lobbying to get it started off."It took me almost one year to get the service to Singapore started off but I am confident there will be very good traffic," the chief minister told newsmen announcing the plans for the non-stop directflight.
Though the Air India managing director MP Mascarenhas felt the airline would have difficulties making the service viable initially, but with the joint efforts of the government of AP it should be workable in due time.
For starters the two will undertake various activities apart from unleashing a media campaign for joint marketing and promotions to push the services.Among the activities planned include free and concessional tickets for special groups, competitions and other promotional events. Air India has also worked out a special fare structure for the Hyderabad-Singapore direct flight with the economy class round ticket costing just Rs 13,000 per head which works out much cheaper than the Chennai-Singapore services which is a stop-over flight, Mascarenhas said. Secondly, the airline is also introducing for the first time a special companion free service in the executive class under which one ticket will entail another free ticket, he said.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
