The Hindu Business Line : Jet Airways posts 12-14 pc growth in traffic

Mr Peter Luethi, Chief Operating Officer, Jet Airways, with Mr Gaurang Shetty, Senior GM, Marketing, at a press conference in Mumbai on Tuesday. — Paul Noronha

Mumbai , July 27

JET Airways has recorded a 12-14 per cent growth in traffic during the first four months of the current fiscal over the same period last year.

According to Mr Peter Luethi, Chief Operating Officer, seat loads during the four months beginning April 2004 were between 66 and 68 per cent. He added that the airline would meet its stiff growth targets.

Mr Luethi was speaking on the sidelines of a programme held to re-launch the airline's Frequent Flyer Programme here on Tuesday.

The new Jet Privilege Programme comes into effect on August 1, and will offer two additional membership levels, replacing the earlier three-tier levels with five membership levels, namely, JP Blue, JP Blue Plus, JP Silver, JP Gold, and JP Platinum.

JP members will also be able to access their membership account online and transact online.

The new frequent flier programme is based on a dynamic tier review mechanism that constantly reviews the miles earned to effect an upgrade in the customers JP profile.

Meanwhile, an airline spokesperson denied reports that the airline was planning to launch a low-cost carrier. "We have no plans to launch a low-cost carrier, although we have deliberated on the feasibility of entering the segment."

According to Mr Luethi, it remained to be seen how many players would finally launch low-cost operations. He added that any factor that stimulated the market would be beneficial for the industry as a whole. Jet Airways, he said, would continue to focus on its full-service customers.

Commenting on the timing of the new frequent flyer programme, the Senior General Manager, Marketing, Mr Gaurang Shetty, said the programme has been in the making for a year now. Mercator and Infosys were the two IT providers on the project.

He added that the airline would launch a daily frequency on the Delhi-Patna route from August. The service would be operated in the evening.