Indian airline to end Joburg-mumbai service

IT’S the end of the local runway for India’s Jet Airways – the airline announced this week it would no longer fly from SA.

Jet Airways will make its final trip from Joburg to Mumbai on June 12.

Srirupa Sen, manager for corporate communications and public relations in Mumbai, said the decision to close the service to SA was part of an annual evaluation.

“As a part of its ongoing network evaluation with a clear focus on profitability, Jet Airways will be redeploying its assets on its existing route network.

“This has necessitated the temporary suspension of the airline’s A330 MumbaiJohannesburg flights effective (from) June 12.

“Jet Airways will work closely with its interline partners and ensure affected guests are rebooked on alternative flights for their travel from June 12, to minimise inconvenience caused,” said Sen.

While officials at Jet Airways says the closure was only temporary, a top executive told the Herald the move was a permanent one.

The executive, who could not be named, said the closure was due to a number of reasons.

“The world is in economic recession and it has affected major companies around the globe.

“Jet Airways has felt the pinch of the recession and decided to cut its losses in South Africa.

“The fuel price hike and the dollar rate, among other factors, contributed to the closure. Jet Airways has cancelled its contract with GSA (General Sales Agent),” said the source.

Fare cuts

It is believed that Jet Airways had to drastically reduce its airfares in recent times due to stiff competition from other carriers. The result was nonprofitability.

Jet Airways has also closed offices in Kuala Lumpur and Doha.

At the time of its launch in 2010 the luxury airline was the only Indian airline that flew from SA. It flew five times a week from Joburg to Mumbai, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. The launch of the route marked the first time that Jet Airways had flown to Africa.

Dinesh Saran, manager for Jet Airways in SA, said he was saddened by the impending closure of the airline’s route.

He said full refunds would be offered to those who had already booked flights after June 12.

Dinesh Naidoo, marketing director for Serendipity Tours, said the company was one of the top three supporters of Jet Airways and he had predicted the airline’s SA closure at an early stage.

“The closure of Jet Airways in South Africa has definitely affected Serendipity Tours. We had more than 250 passengers booked to fly via Jet Airways to Mumbai from now until the end of the year.

“These customers had to be rerouted to other airlines such as Emirates, SAA and Etihad.

“The decision made in India was a commercial one and the closure was due to the airline’s non-profitability.

“This means that airlines such as SAA can now capitalise on the closure, which they have by increasing flights to India.

“It is sad to see any airline close,” added Naidoo.

Meanwhile, SAA has grasped the opportunity with the closing of the Jet route.

The national carrier has taken a decision to increase flights between Joburg and Mumbai following increased demand on the route, with effect from June 16.

The airline will be offering five flights a week between the two cities, which is one flight a week more than currently on offer.

The additional flight is subject to government approval.