Back in 2016, Jet Airways was the first Indian carrier to launch fare families, which bunched various fare families together to show which fare would afford you how many miles and which facilities by the ticket class you bought. Then, Jet Airways eliminated lounge access for cheap tickets in the Deal category (ticket class W, O) even for their elite members. It was fair reasoning, after all. You shouldn’t be getting lounge access worth INR 800, for instance, when your ticket including taxes costs INR 1600. Now, there is more news on the Jet Airways Fare Choices.
Recently, the airline has been forced to be more prudent about their expenses, however. The meal quality was going down, but the airline has arrested the slide and meals are turning out to be fabulous again. Here is my dinner from last night’s Mumbai – Delhi flight.
Vistara recently launched buy-on-board for their cheapest fare classes. While I haven’t still flown a flight where I’ve been able to check out the buy-on-board menu, the menu resembles the offerings from various no-frill airlines.
Jet Airways did not have that opportunity to launch new fare classes to segregate these fares, but they had been working on a similar strategy for a while. Today, they announced that Jet Airways would be discontinuing meal inclusions on the B, W, O fare classes, commonly known as the Deal and Light fares.
#Breaking. @JEtairways has eliminated meals on their B, W,O fare classes commonly known as Deals and Light fares for tickets issued after September 25, 2018. All of these pax will be able to do a Buy-on-board on the flight. aligns with @airvistara now #paxex
— Ajay Awtaney (@LiveFromALounge) September 19, 2018
Instead, these flyers will be able to buy off a specially curated buy-on-board menu which, I am told, would offer sandwiches, hot meals and snacks as well. Here is how economy class fares would look like here on.
The fares would be available for sale on September 25, 2018, for flights on September 28, 2018, onwards. Anyone who buys a light or deal fare before that day should continue to get a meal inclusion on board. Tea and coffee service would continue for everyone.
While we still don’t know how the fares would price once the new fare inclusions would start showing, we could expect the difference to go between INR 300 to INR 500 of the Saver fare. I don’t expect fares to go further down from here although I wouldn’t be amused to be able to buy a BOM-DEL ticket for INR 500 someday.
I think this is the right way to go on many shorter segments. For instance, on an hour-long Delhi – Dehradun flight or a 45 minute long Mumbai – Goa flight, you don’t need to eat, and the airline is then under the obligation of feeding you something you don’t want to eat and tweet about. So, I could see myself buy a BOM-GOI without the meal and a BOM-DEL with the meal.
The critical difference in the Jet Airways implementation and the Vistara implementation boils down to some essential differences in the operational details. Vistara is not offering a hot meal to these pax who buy a Lite Fare. Jet Airways plans to give that option as per their communication. Vistara does not provide elite miles on these fares but redemption miles as per the fare spent; Jet Airways will give elite miles and tier points as well.
Bottomline
It is good to see the Indian carriers shed their ego and trying to take the battle to no-frills airlines. Ultimately, India is a price sensitive market which wants everything while paying for nothing. Those who pay low fares shouldn’t miss the extra amenities.
What do you make out of the new changes at Jet Airways domestic operations? Would this change your buying decisions in anyway?
Jet Airways has stopped giving complementary access to Airport lounge in Bangalore and Mumbai for economy class passengers holding platinum and gold tier JP status. Carry your credit card to access lounge. Last I experience this on 13-14 Dec 2018 in Bangalore and Mumbai respectively.
Today’s mail communication from jet says….
“Complimentary beverage service including tea and coffee to all guests in Economy (including ‘Light’/’Deal’ fares), will continue on eligible flights.”
so you are just missing wrap and kitkat/5star, unless you are flying on Metro sectors.
I am sure crew will be having tough time while serving
Just got a mail mentioning that the same is now pushed to bookings from Oct 12 for travel from Oct 18 onwards
Sorry travel from Oct 15
So if I understand it correctly, a V class fare will get the meal?
@747Always, you get a meal.
Thanks!
What about the redemption booking on class X.
@Rohan you get the meal!
Ajay buddy – Whatta way to kiss Jet!
You delete comments that are facts, and promote nonsense where you get money? Huh?
Jet now gives free blood in the flights!
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/transportation/airlines-/-aviation/passengers-bled-from-ear-and-nose-as-cabin-pressure-fell-on-a-jet-airways-mumbai-jaipur-flight/articleshow/65880897.cms
@Rohan I think you are just plain stupid. Just because your comment did not pass through automatically because you’ve never posted on the site before, and today you wake up to post this news which we are already aware of, you go around making assumptions in your head and call us that we have deleted comments? Grow a pair dude. And every time you’d call me saying I get money, please do share proof. Ok? Moving on. Oh, and an apology for your stupid comment would be nice.
Another masterpiece. Jet now provides free blood!
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/transportation/airlines-/-aviation/passengers-bled-from-ear-and-nose-as-cabin-pressure-fell-on-a-jet-airways-mumbai-jaipur-flight/articleshow/65880897.cms
They need to stop charging for seat selections atleast. Jet airways charges for every seat whereas Indigo and other LCCs never charge for a middle seat and for seats behind exit rows.
Great move by Jet, one more step towards better cost efficiency and protecting all my JP Miles. #WrySmile
Infact, they should move towards a more Delta or even Indigo like model where they offer just a basic snack (Peanuts, Chips or Biscuits) and basic drink (Tea, Coffee or Small Pepsi can) to higher fares and keep everything else paid – it works there, so it should work for Jet. It’s not like even a Platinum like me will switch to Air India just because the hot meal is gone. Also, my consulting days’ learning tell me that removing the heater and keeping just cold meals helps save space as well as reduces weight – ultimately reducing fuel consumption (https://on.ft.com/2h1aWup). Another minuscule step towards cost efficiency.
Recently I saw Jet being super strict at Leh airport with baggage. Even for a 3 kg excess, they asked for cash. And one guy who obviously had insane excess paid around 6500 for excess baggage. #GoJetAirways
It confuses the customer and dilutes the brand. Are they full service or LCC?
@Manish. Not really. Doing JetLite/JetKonnect was that kind of move. here, only 10% – 15% of the people may opt for this. So, does not really dilute the brand
How do they know your booking class? I mean if it’s only on the boarding pass, it’s quite easy to amend the class in photoshop))
@wqrqf, the booking class is also in the flight manifest that the crew gets before the flight. They are not checking the boarding pass, they have it on their manifest.
hm, are you sure that’s the case? There have been talks about the crews being aware if the passenger travels on a revenue fare or an award ticket, and the answer has always been “no, they don’t know it so that they are not in a position to discriminate”. Maybe it’s different in India.
@wqrqf I am sure this is the case. Crew are given the manifest for the flight about who needs to be given a meal and who doesn’t along with their status. this does not relate to revenue fare or award ticket at all.
When we book through TPAs like MMT, we wont be knowing which fare type is applicable. How to decide then?
@Sevan lets wait till the end of the month on how the OTAs adapt to this.
Will they retain their “Full Service Carrier” tag after this?
@Rocky, yes. only 10-15% would go for the no-meal options, they still get the miles, the jetscreen and everything, right?