Indian airline battles to be fought on the ground

"Airlines are waging an intense tussle on fares to grab market share - which are now at historic lows, but the competitive battle will be won or lost in customer retention - a key focus of our LCC Symposium next month in Mumbai", said Kapil Kaul, the Centre's CEO for the Indian Subcontinent and Middle East.

"The winning airlines will be the ones that can build customer loyalty and deliver services and low prices that passengers will want to use again and again. In an ideal world, airline passengers - particularly those travelling on business - could compare arrival and departure on-time performance between India's airlines. The industry needs the establishment of standardised punctuality reporting, although airport and ATC congestion are currently key barriers to airlines achieving their schedules", said Mr Kaul.

The Symposium will cover issues including international and domestic market prospects, as well as the next steps for the LCC model in the region.

Key confirmed speakers include:

• AirAsia: Tony Fernandes, CEO
• Indigo Partners: Bill Franke, Managing Partner
• Ohio State University: Prof Nawal Taneja, Chair, Dept of Aviation
• Jazeera Airways: Marwan Boodai, CEO
• Sama: Andrew Cowen, CEO
• Viva Macau: Andrew Pyne, CEO
• IATA: Julian Carr, Manager New Product Development
• Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation: Andrew Miller, CEO Consulting
• Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation: Peter Harbison, Executive Chairman

Key details about India & Middle East LCC Symposium 2006:

• Date: 29-30 September, 2006
• Venue: Grand Hyatt, Mumbai
• Attendance:
  • 250+ Delegates
  • 25+ High-level Speakers
  • 50+ Global Media Representatives
• Media Exposure: Global newswire press coverage
• Broadsheet newspaper coverage on three continents
• Global television coverage: Over 50 website listings and advertising

The event will also feature an extensive supplier exhibition and enhanced sponsor offering, with over 10+ hours of networking time.

For sponsorship details, please contact Misty Cambray, Marketing Manager mc@centreforaviation.com Ph: +612 9241 3200.