Air Deccan to increase flights next year

Chandigarh, Nov 11: Air Deccan, India's low-cost carrier, plans to increase the number of flights to 310 next summer from 260 flights this year.

''We have added 10 aircraft and introduced 41 new routes, which will benefit a wider number of travelers'', the airliner Chief Operating Officer Warwick Brandhy said.

''Our brand new aircraft both ATR and Airbus have increased efficiencies in air conditioning to ensure that travelling is the most pleasant part of a holiday'' , he added.

Air Deccan has also announced opening of its much awaited April to June 2007 schedules for reservations from tomorrow.

Air Deccan Sales and Marketing Head Samyukh Sridharan said that this year the bookings have been opened in advance to ensure that passengers with families can plan in advance and freeze their dates and airfares.

According to Mr Sridharan Air Deccan has the widest domestic connectivitiy, connecting the beautiful backwaters of Kerala from the southern end to the famed Mata Vaishno Devi in the North, Kandla port in the West to Baghdogra in the North East. The airliner connects 60 destinations today and more are being added, he said.

The country's second largest airliner in the country with a market share of 21.2 per cent (June 2006), has the largest network in India covering 60 airports, plying over 300 flights a day.

The airline currently operates a brand new fleet of 16 Airbus A320 aircraft with an average age of 1.5 years and 24 ATR Turboprop aircraft.

It recorded an on-time performance of 98.60 per cent (within one hour) for October.

UNI