Buying an airline seat is going to become as easy as picking up a cinema ticket, and that too without queueing up outside a cinema house.
Petrol stations, bank ATMs and mobile phones are all set to become distribution channels for low cost airline Air Deccan in the coming weeks.
The airline has signed up with oil giant HPCL to retail tickets from its 6000 pan-India outlets from third week of March. Air Deccan Managing Director G.R Gopinath said the rollout will happen in Bangalore and will be expanded to other points in a phased manner.
HPCL officials said since most of its petrol outlets especially the 2500 urban locations were all wired -- internet connection -- it could quickly put up ticket dispensing kiosks.
According to Mr Gopinath, selling air tickets at petrol pumps will further demystify flying to the masses.
More importantly, the accessibility will improve for large sections of potential passengers since petrol stations were located at just about every corner, commercial and residential layouts, high streets, highways etc.
A customer at an Air Deccan sales counter at a petrol station has the choice of using a credit card or paying cash to buy tickets.
Incidentally, the footfalls at HPCL petrol stations have been on the rise following introduction of ATMs, convenience stores, US Pizza and coffee counters. HPCL is examining different business models to further its retail strategy on a regional and national basis. For instance, HPCL officials said it has recently done a few pilots by enabling utility payments -- mobile operators -- in Mumbai at some petrol stations.
Air Deccan will also introduce sale of tickets through mobile SMS. The entire transaction will be enabled by the mobile service provider where-in the necessary information such as availability of seats, fares etc will be displayed on messaging (by SMS) a certain number, following which the ticket can be purchased after giving the credit card number. Similarly, bank ATMs will also be wired for airline ticket sales shortly, Mr Gopinath said making the task easier.
Via: Rani
Petrol stations, bank ATMs and mobile phones are all set to become distribution channels for low cost airline Air Deccan in the coming weeks.
The airline has signed up with oil giant HPCL to retail tickets from its 6000 pan-India outlets from third week of March. Air Deccan Managing Director G.R Gopinath said the rollout will happen in Bangalore and will be expanded to other points in a phased manner.
HPCL officials said since most of its petrol outlets especially the 2500 urban locations were all wired -- internet connection -- it could quickly put up ticket dispensing kiosks.
According to Mr Gopinath, selling air tickets at petrol pumps will further demystify flying to the masses.
More importantly, the accessibility will improve for large sections of potential passengers since petrol stations were located at just about every corner, commercial and residential layouts, high streets, highways etc.
A customer at an Air Deccan sales counter at a petrol station has the choice of using a credit card or paying cash to buy tickets.
Incidentally, the footfalls at HPCL petrol stations have been on the rise following introduction of ATMs, convenience stores, US Pizza and coffee counters. HPCL is examining different business models to further its retail strategy on a regional and national basis. For instance, HPCL officials said it has recently done a few pilots by enabling utility payments -- mobile operators -- in Mumbai at some petrol stations.
Air Deccan will also introduce sale of tickets through mobile SMS. The entire transaction will be enabled by the mobile service provider where-in the necessary information such as availability of seats, fares etc will be displayed on messaging (by SMS) a certain number, following which the ticket can be purchased after giving the credit card number. Similarly, bank ATMs will also be wired for airline ticket sales shortly, Mr Gopinath said making the task easier.
Via: Rani
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