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Travelling with children may become more expensive on Jet Airways and Etihad Airways from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to India.
The two airlines have stopped giving discounts to children aged between 2 and 11 on direct flights from Abu Dhabi/Dubai to India, it is reliably learnt. A ticket for a child will now cost the same as that of a regular ticket.
Increasing competition
Confirming the development, a spokesperson for Jet Airways said: “Effective June 16, Jet Airways has discontinued the child discount of 25 per cent from Abu Dhabi/Dubai to India. From Dubai there is no child discount since February1. This is due to the prevailing market practice.” The child discount programme remains unchanged on other international routes, Jet said.
Moreover, there is no change in the fare policy for infants, who are charged 10 per cent of basic fee.
Net loss For the quarter ended March 30, 2014, Jet recorded its higher-ever net loss of ₹2,153 crore due to the weak rupee escalating fuel costs, anaemic passenger traffic growth, and increasing competition.
Abu Dhabi-based Etihad, which acquired a 24 per cent stake in Jet last year for about $380 million, has also done away with its earlier child fare policy (75 per cent of adult fares), travel agents said.
A spokesperson for Etihad said: “Etihad Airways and Jet Airways now offer 168 non-stop flights each week between Abu Dhabi and 10 destinations in India, with the network set to expand further. The fare strategy we have enables us to be highly competitive in the market, offering air travellers incredible value and flexibility on all our flights to India.”
Dubai and Abu Dhabi cater to a large number of Indian passengers.
India contributed the biggest chunk — 8.4 million — of 66.43 million passengers handled by the Dubai airport last year.
Abu Dhabi is set to get more passengers from India going forward since Jet has started using the city as its international hub following the deal with Etihad.
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