05 September, 2017
Currently, travel to European countries costs somewhere around Rs 45,000, but, this scenario may change soon.
Singapore based low-cost airline (LCC), Scoot, which operates direct flights between India and Europe, will soon offer fares as low as Rs 12,000 for a one-way trip.
The airline owns "fifth freedom" rights that allow it to operate direct flights between India and Europe.
While at present a direct trip to Europe costs at least Rs 45000, one way trip between Mumbai and Copenhagen could in future cost only around Rs 12000 including 20 Kg baggage and a meal, as per the Scoot officials.
"A return trip to Europe would cost around Rs 26,000", Mahadevan told TOI.
Scoot now operates worldwide flights to Singapore from Tier-2 Indian cities like Jaipur, Amritsar, Lucknow.
For, Indian low-priced carriers (LCCs), along with a few foreign airlines, are offering worldwide tickets to Europe, at a much cheaper rate than before.
Presently, the lowest fares on direct flight between India and Europe costs around Rs 45,000. "We can see long-haul, low-priced operations gaining ground from next fiscal with Indian LCCs driving growth", said Kapil Kaul of CAPA, suggesting the possibility of creating a new market segment for the same.
IndiGo and SpiceJet were also mulling over low cost long haul flights.
This is a 50% drop in fare from current market prices.
Considering the rising numbers of Indian passengers, many worldwide airlines are looking at India as a lucrative market to operate their business.
In May 2017, SpiceJet's Ajay Singh in an interview said the airline was studying the viability of low cost long haul travel. InterGlobe Aviation, which operates the low-priced carrier, had submitted an official EOI (Expression of Interest) for buying Air India's worldwide operations.
If the Indian air carriers do not act fast in launching their budgeted long haul flights, Singapore Airlines' Scoot may just swoop in and race ahead in this market.
