KOCHI: GoAir is planning to expand operations to more non-metro cities. The airline, promoted by the Wadia Group, will acquire more aircraft and widen the network, said Jeh Wadia, managing director.

The airline, presently operating flights from Kochi to Mumbai, will increase the frequency in the sector, he said at a press conference here on Wednesday.

Mr. Wadia announced a new campaign `the GoAir Challenge'. According to the scheme, if a customer flying on any domestic airline gets a better fare than a GoAir customer on routes operated by the GoAir, the customer gets twice the difference in fares reimbursed.

If the price paid for the ticket on a competing airline is lower than the price paid for the GoAir ticket, then the airline (GoAir) will adjust double the difference between the fare of the GoAir ticket sold to the customer and the fare of the other airline as credit, which can be used to purchase GoAir tickets.

GoAir will also reimburse the cost of cancellation done immediately of the other airline's ticket as credit which can be used to purchase GoAir tickets.

The airline, having a current fleet of three Airbus aircraft, will acquire five more aircraft by year-end. It currently operates 20 flights covering 11 cities. From April 3, as many as 14 cities including Delhi, Srinagar and Jammu will be covered. The present destinations served by the airline are Mumbai, Goa, Ahmedabad, Coimbatore, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Baroda, Chennai, Pune, Kochi and Jaipur. The airline plans to have 33 aircraft by the end of 2008. It has recently placed order with the Airbus Industrie at Singapore last month, according to him.

GoAir has ambitious plans for the south and equally high expectations on the volume of traffic in the region. South Indian economies are vibrant and GoAir is keen to provide service to this region, he said.

The airline is flying on key routes such as Chennai-Pune, Hyderabad-Bangalore, Chennai-Hyderabad and Mumbai-Coimbatore. From April 3, there will be a daily link between Chennai and Delhi.

Mr. Wadia said the airline, fully owned by the Wadia Group, would consider options of funding for expansion in the future. "The company wants to ensure lowest fares. It offers dynamic pricing such that the earlier passengers buy their tickets, the lower fares they enjoy. The airline will target rail passengers for increasing its client base."

GoAir has tied up with the BCCI for the one-day cricket series between India and England. As the official airline, GoAir will offer seats next to cricket players. This will be a unique opportunity for the cricket lovers, he said.

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