New Delhi: Indigo’s first A321ceo haunted aircraft is scheduled to arrive on time for the first half of 2022 and it will show everyone that this airline is serious about growing the cargo business, said the commercial head carrier (CCO) William Boulter.
On April 21, Indigo has announced that it is in the process of renting four A321ceo goods ship aircraft, each has the capacity to handle 27 tons of cargo.
CCO told PTI in an interview last week that Indigo did not consider starting the Frequent Flyer program now and focuses entirely on co-branded settings with the bank.
Indigo Airlines, in a partnership with the Mahindra Bank box, has been on December 14, launched a co-branded credit card that allows customers to get points (6E Rewards) that can be used to buy tickets.
Similar co-branded credit cards were launched by airlines, in partnership with HDFC Bank and MasterCard, in February 2020.
On questions if Indigo is considering starting the Frequent Flyer program, he answers negatively.
Boulter added, “At present, our focus is very much in the co-branded settings (credit card) that we go to banks.
We believe that this (card) releases customers with many benefits.” The Frequent Flyer program allows passengers to get points when ordering the airline ticket.
He can then use these points to buy airplane tickets to the same airline or buy goods or services from partner companies.
Boulter said Indigo had the best Frequent Flyer program in the world and it was a low rate.
“People seem to return a lot to take advantage of the low rates.
Our focus is very much in the current co-branded settings,” he said.
6E Rewards (Indigo Points System) provides a large number of potential and ability to customers to get points in a number of their shopping activities, all of the supermarkets to pharmacies for fuel purchases, he said.
“We are very confident that our customers will take a fast level.
We are very happy with the development so far from 6E Rewards.
I don’t think something is holding it back,” said Boulter.
Talking about the airline cargo business, CCO said, “Our cargo business has become one of the successes during a pandemic.
Actually, we have operated close to 8,000 cargo-cabin charter flights.” In the country, the current operator operates to 71 cities in India and each of these points has cargo skills, he said.
On the topic of the four cargo planes mentioned above have been ordered, he said, “The first plane just went to Singapore Technologies Engineering Limited because it was converted (from a passenger plane to the fighter) when we talked.
It will come out anytime the first half Next year.
“” It will really be a statement for everyone that Indigo is very serious about cargo and cargo will be an important part of our business, “he added.
When asked if the airline planned to expand the size of the order for the cargo plane, he replied, “We have ordered four aircraft.
We will see how the business is developing.
We will make further decisions later.” Boulter said he saw great potential for cargo flights operating between India and China.
“We opened services to China before Pandemic – to Chengdu and Guangzhou.
They were very successful in a very short time,” he said.
Obviously, now, after a pandemic, the border (with China) is closed for passenger traffic but the goods market is very floating, he added.
A number of items requested to fight pandemics around the world such as PPE and testing kits are produced in large amounts of China, he said.
“We see a lot of cargo requests from China.
We have operated many charteres for the past year, to Guangzhou in particular.
During the second wave of pandemic in India, we operate more than 70 charter flights between Kolkata and Guangzhou to bring oxygen concentrators,” he said.
“So, China will remain a significant manufacturing base.
It will produce many cargo requests.
As Indigo, we are happy to serve the request as far as we can,” he said.
Indigo does not operate charter charter flights to China at this time but are always related to agents in the market and there may be future charter services, recorded CCO.