Jet Airways Boosts Bangkok and Riyadh Routes from Mumbai

Indian carrier Jet Airways is to introduce an additional daily rotation on its routes from Mumbai to the Saudi Arabian city of Riyadh and the Thai capital Bangkok before the end of this year. The airline will introduce a second daily flight on the Riyadh route and a third daily rotation to Bangkok from December 14, each operated by a Boeing 737-800.

The Mumbai – Bangkok route is already served more than eight times daily with Air India, Bangkok Airways, Cathay Pacific Airways, IndiGo Airlines, Kingfisher Airlines and Thai Airways International also providing service. An estimated 411,000 O&D passengers flew between these two cities in the past year, up 26.5 per cent on the previous year.

Jet Airways has seen its own share of the market reduce as new entrants and increased frequencies from its rivals have eaten away at its marketshare. The airline now holds a 20 per cent share of the O&D traffic between the two cities, down from 24 per cent one year earlier. However, its yield has strengthened with its average one-way fares increasing by 6.2 per cent during the period, versus the 4.6 per cent market average.

The second daily flight on the Mumbai – Riyadh route will place Jet Airways as the lead operator in this market from December. Air India also serves the route on a daily basis while Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia) offers five flights per week. An estimated 314,000 passengers flew between the two cities in the past year and Jet Airways has just a five per cent share of this traffic, carrying an estimated 14,000 O&D passengers. Although the Indian carrier is offering more frequencies, its rivals both operate widebodied equipment on their own flights: Air India using a 747-400 and Saudia a 777-200ER.

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