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India's airline industry, which is looking to recover from Covid-19, will soon have a new flying option based on subscription.
New Delhi-based Prince Air has initiated plans to expand its operations by becoming India's first airline to sell membership.
This means a person can fly multiple times for a monthly fee. It is like subscribing to an OTT platform.
Prince Air's founder Sanket Raj Singh said that people subscribing to this new model will be able to enjoy privileges far different from the check-ins passengers have to undergo at airports.
"It will be similar to owning a private jet, an experience that will make you feel special," he said.
According to Mr Singh, passengers need to be at the airport only 30 minutes before departure and entry will be via a separate gate. A luxury car can even be arranged for a quick exit from the airport.
A round trip from Delhi to Mumbai and back will save at least three hours via Prince Air.
"Instead of having 180 to 220 economy seats per aircraft, we will have only 90 to 100 Business/First Class seats - giving our members more space and comfort, all while travelling at a budgeted price," he said.
Prince Air's all new aviation experience should be ready for passengers in the next fw months.
The company has already started to sell memberships and will begin operations when it has 12,000 members across Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru.
A membership is pegged at Rs54,500 ($987) a month. This means a person can fly across Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru as many times as he wants in a month for Rs54,500.
Currently, a return Delhi-Mumbai-Delhi business class seat with domestic carriers costs Rs36,000.
For a Delhi-Bengaluru-Delhi flight the cost is about Rs42,000, which can go up during holidays.
Prince Air's fare is only 50 per cent of what commercial airlines charge for flying business class in India and 95 per cent less than what charter operators charge to fly on a private jet.
Prince Air now covers New Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru. It will later connect to cities such as Lucknow, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Hyderabad, Chennai, Pune and Amritsar.
The airline is currently in talks with some of India's largest travel portals to help sell the subscriptions and become its partners.
"In a place like India, we had to think out of the box," said Mr Singh. "A member can enjoy our lounge before the flight, with complimentary beverages and snacks and a serene environment to relax.
"The close community of members can meet and discuss matters. We will be doing private events for our members."
Mr Singh believes that "there is definitely a market out there for a service like Prince Air".
He said: "People in India are looking for something which has a different experience when it comes to flying private and is in between a commercial airline and a charter company. This is where Prince Air fits in.
"We allow our members to travel in style and comfort but at a fraction of the usual cost. It's a new way to fly. We will have the coolest-looking jets in India."
Indo-Asian News Service
