Air India may fly budget carrier to Europe, US

MUMBAI: With Malaysia-based Air Asia proposing to start a low-cost global airline, Air India may look at the long-haul budget carrier business following the success of its subsidiary, Air India Express, in the segment.���We are open to the idea of flying a low-cost airline to Europe and the US... who knows, it might catch on in future and we would like to gear up to meet such a demand,��� Air India Chairman V Thulasidas said.

Air Asia, which offers fares equivalent to Rs 700 between two south-Asian destinations, proposes to offer flights to Europe from Asia for as low a price as $100, revolutionising long-haul travel. ���Taking a cue from this, Air India is now mulling a budget airline to Europe and US,��� he said, adding the national carrier now has low-cost flights to several destinations in the Middle-East from a number of cities in India.

Barring Dubai, where Air India operates both budget flights and regular ones, it does not operate regular flights to other destinations in Middle-East which have low-cost flights.���With Europe and US requiring at least 8-10 hours of air travel, Air India could consider even a budget, first-and- business-class travel in such long-haul sectors,��� Thulasidas added.