Prince Air, India’s first subscription-based airline set to launch soon

Prince Air, a New Delhi-based start-up, is offering a one-of-akind subscription-based airline service for unlimited travel on its private jets. With a monthly membership, travellers can fly between major cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru at a fraction of usual business class fares.

Major metros of India have seen a great demand for travel over the past few years and the COVID-19 pandemic made it more evident after the country witnessed an abnormal need for private charters as scheduled commercial airlines were grounded.

Prince Air is designed to offer its services to patrons for a fraction of the usual cost–making its member travel affordable and accessible to everyone. Its service is also faster and more efficient, by cutting down the time spent at airports. That means a round trip flight from Delhi to Mumbai and back would save at least three hours by Prince Air.

Prince Air’s Founder, Sanket Raj Singh said, “Passengers subscribing to this new model will be able to enjoy a privileged experience, far different from the regular check-ins we have to go through at airports. It will be similar to owning your own private jet, an experience that will make you feel special.”

Private aviation is still a very immature market in India. That means until now, only HNIs and VIPs could afford the price tag attached to a private jet or business class in India. “Earlier our plans were to introduce Bombardier and Embraer jets. That was then, but now we thought of getting a bigger aircraft like an Airbus A-320 or A-321, comprising complete business class. Instead of having 180 to 220 economy seats per aircraft, we would only have 90-100 Business/FirstClass seats–giving our members more space and comfort, all while travelling at a budgeted price,” assures Singh.

Unlike other airlines where passengers arrive at the airport about two to three hours before departure, those flying on Prince Air can arrive only half an hour before departure. Passengers will also have a dedicated boarding gate, and can even arrange a car to exit the airport upon arriving at their destination.

Perhaps the most important question for many out there is how much this service will cost. Prince Air plans on offering a monthly subscription for ₹54,500, giving passenger’s unlimited flights across its network. For comparison, a round trip from Delhi to Bengaluru or Mumbai in business will set back travellers anywhere from ₹36,000 to ₹38,000 each.

The Prince Air’s experience should be ready for passengers in about six to eight months. It would be interesting to see how it fares among Indian travellers. The company has already started to presell memberships and targets around 10,000-12000 members in India.