Air India Fare Cut: Air India’s decision, now tickets for domestic and short international flights will be cheaper.

News India Live, Digital Desk: To establish its dominance in the Indian aviation sector, Tata Group-owned Air India is going to make a very important change. Air India is now planning to ‘unbundle’ the food facilities on its domestic and short-haul international flights. This simply means that now the cost of food will not be included in the flight ticket, due to which the ticket price can be significantly reduced. What is the new plan of Air India? (Understanding Unbundling) Till now Air India was known as a ‘full-service carrier’, where passengers were provided food and beverages as part of the ticket price. But now Air India is also preparing to follow the path of budget airlines like Indigo and Air India Express. Fares will be less: Due to removal of food cost, base fare will decline. With this, Air India will now be able to compete with budget airlines. Passengers will have the option: Now passengers will have the freedom to choose whether they want to eat during the flight or not. If you want to eat, you will have to pay for it separately while booking the ticket or during the flight. Which flights will be affected: This rule may mainly apply to domestic flights and short international routes (like Dubai, Singapore, Qatar etc.). Why is Air India making such a change? (The Strategic Shift) Competition with Budget Airlines: In India, airlines like IndiGo have a huge hold on the market because they offer cheap fares. Air India now wants to attract more passengers by bringing its fares at par with theirs.Integration with Air India Express: Tata Group is expanding its budget airline ‘Air India Express’. Air India wants there to be synergy between its service and the service of Air India Express. Reduction in operational cost: The cost of carrying large quantities of food in flight and its servicing is very high. This change will lead to huge savings in the operating expenses of the company. What will change for the passengers? Cheap tickets: Air travel will now become cheaper for passengers who travel short distances and do not want to eat food in the flight. Food Choice: Passengers will get the facility of ‘Buy on Board’, where they will be able to buy a snack or meal of their choice from the menu card. Maharaja’s old identity: Air India has been known for its royal hospitality and free food. After this change, the ‘full-service’ image of Air India may remain limited only to long-haul international flights (like America, Europe).