Air Deccan to provide free water on flights

Low-cost carrier Air Deccan will now provide Kingfisher bottled water on all its flights. There were requests from passengers for complimentary mineral water on board which the airline was not able to provide due to costs involved. "Now we've worked out a deal with the UB group for supply of Kingfisher bottled water from July 7," said a spokesperson for Air Deccan. "We'll get enhanced customer satisfaction by providing complimentary water and the UB group will get branding and increased visibility for the Kingfisher bottled water brand". Financially-strapped Air Deccan had sold 26 per cent stake for Rs 550 crore to the UB Group company Kingfisher Airlines on May 31. Put together, the Kingfisher-Air Deccan combine will have the largest fleet, route network and market share in the country.

Both companies have 71 aircraft including 41 Airbus and 30 ATRs, 70 destinations and 33 per cent market share. The combined operations will eventually cover all segments of air travel from low fares to premium fares and offer up to 537 daily flights connecting 69 cities across the country. "We will continue to look at other such innovative ancillary opportunities which will lower costs and enhance customer satisfaction while retaining our low-cost edge," said the spokesperson for Air Deccan. But Mr Vijay Mallya has said clearly that the days of zero or cheap fares are over and an airline must cover all costs before fixing the tariff. Air Deccan's managing director G R Gopinath has also indicated that air fares may go up by Rs 600 to 1,000 in coming weeks.

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