Man with a Vision to Fly High with Maharaja, Mr.Ajay Sinha
Sunday, September 7, 2014
Born and brought up at Delhi, Mr Ajay Sinha, Country Manager, Air India, Kuwait joined Air India at an early stage of his career. Working with every aspects of the airline, the experience he gained helped in facing the challenges of airline industry especially in Kuwait sector where the competition is high.
IIK: Welcome aboard Sir, for a journey with IIK. Completing two years of captaincy with the Air India team in Kuwait, how do you find the Kuwait market?
AS: Thank you so much IIK for this opportunity. Regarding the captaincy, I must say, I am lucky enough to have a competent team with me. Kuwait is an exciting market with high potential and lots of developing opportunities. Our customers in this sector ranges from the price sensitive category who travel once in 1 or 2 years to the frequent flyers who travel more than 12 times a year.
IIK: What was the main challenge you faced in order to satisfy this wide spectrum?
AS: The main issue was the dissatisfaction of the customers with the aircraft and the nonflexible fares. Kuwait is a market with potential buyers who can pay for comfort, and the competition here is high. At the moment we don’t operate business class on this route because of which we have lost some of our premium passengers. However, we have succeeded in bringing many of them back by offering special services like facilitation even for return trip in liaison with destination. In terms of rates, we now offer many flexible and seasonal fares.
IIK: We hear that you operate older aircrafts than the competition. Is that a factor in customer appeal?
AS: The aircrafts currently being operated are not the latest in our fleet, but they are among the sturdiest and the safest series. However, newer aircrafts fitted with modern gadgets are certainly more appealing to the customer. We are hoping to introduce new aircrafts on this route soon and the issue has been taken up with our headquarters by the station as a priority item.
IIK: Can we expect Dreamliners to Kuwait?
AS:My vision is to introduce Dreamliner on this route. Air India has a set plan for introducing Dreamliners on various destinations. The priority is of course, some of the destinations being introduced on its expanding network, Rome and Milan being the recent ones. More such destinations are in the pipeline. Dreamliners are extremely feature rich and offer excellent ambience.
IIK: Air India is the only airlines from India to enter Star Alliance. What makes AI qualifying for that?
AS: Star Alliance, by pooling resources of various member airlines, promises a seamless travel experience across 192 countries covering 1300 destinations and over 18000 daily flight for the customers with many facilities added to it in terms of destinations, fleet, comfort, lounge access and other benefits. The Alliance board looks for an airline which gives maximum advantage in terms of destinations, fleet and brand recognition. Air India with 35 international and 62 domestic destinations, fly with one of the youngest fleet comprising a mix of Boeing 777, 747, Airbus A330 and the latest acquisition being 787 Dreamliners. Moreover, AI enjoys the title of ‘Most Trusted Brand’ under airline category by Brand Equity Magazine of Economic Times and in a customer survey conducted by the Readers’ Digest magazine. I take this opportunity to share with you that Air India was awarded the Asian Voice Political & Public Life-Airline of the year, 2014 at a function held in the House of Commons in London and the Superstar Airline of the Year by GMR IGI Awards, 2014.
IIK: What according to you makes AI a unique one as a national carrier?
AS: Air India is not only a commercial airline, but a national one with social commitments towards customers and our country. We have always stood up in the need of hour for the nation, be it evacuation in the face of natural calamity or war zones worldwide, including that we did in Kuwait, Iraq and recently in Tunisia. We operate to far-flung areas in the country to cater to social requirements and provide connectivity to the rest of the country. Moreover, Air India is not only an airline but rather an industry. It is synonym with the history of civil aviation in India. The aviation infrastructure it has created over the years is a testimony of its contribution. Apart from servicing all its aircrafts in-house with its own engineering facilities, Air India also undertakes ground handling services for many airlines. Air India is probably the only Indian carrier to have sufficient number of qualified instructors to train its pilots. It has also trained pilots of other airlines.
IIK: Do you think that the facilities provided by AI are not portrayed properly to the customers or the minor issues are getting more projection?
AS: If such a lack of communication exists between us and the customers, then let this be the platform to rectify it. I don’t say that we are free of any faults. Still I feel that many complaints are interpretational issues rather than real problems. Now we have a better interaction with customers and the scenario is gradually changing with more positive perception and customer confidence.
IK: What are the future initiatives from your part in particular for the Kuwait sector?
AS: We have undertaken many activities to regain and revive the customer relationship for passengers as well as in the travel industry like the offer for ladies on International Women’s Day, surprise gifts for on board passengers on New Year, Air India Fest for the travel agents, various promotional fares to name a few and plan many more in the future. Our frequent flyers are encouraged to take the membership of Flying Returns Program which gives them various benefits including additional baggage allowance and preferential check-in and seating. Air India Express is also looking into upgrading the seat comfort in the aircrafts. Moreover, the most awaited Mangalore connections are getting restored in October and the bookings are already on. Once we get more of our new aircrafts, we hope to add more destinations.
IIK: Good that you are restoring the Mangalore route. But don’t you think that this cancellation of route dropped your loyal customers and all your efforts as a Country Manager to have a facelift went in vain?
AS:Yes, discontinuation of an established route provokes negative public sentiments. We made a lot of efforts to get this route back.
IIK: What would you like to tell our readers, or rather, let me put it as your prospective customers?
AS: First thing is that we care for you and your safety. In order to be able to offer prompt and reliable service and comfortable journey, we seek cooperation from our customers:
- Airlines discourage carrying excess baggage because the aircraft can carry a given load which varies depending upon many factors, mostly by temperatures. Extra load by way of access baggage means denying a seat to a fellow passenger and unaccounted extra baggage like heavy hand baggage can be a serious safety issue for any airline.
- Passengers should insist to the travel agents to put their personal contacts in the PNRs so that important and timely information including schedule changes can be given by the airlines promptly and directly to the customers to avoid last minute discomfort to them.
- Members of the Flying Returns Program of Air India should also insist on incorporating their membership numbers in the PNR for timely updating of their records. The FFP section of Air India Kuwait now takes care of all FFP related requirements of the customers with quick resolution of queries.
IIK: Tell us about your family and their support for you to handle such a challenging role
AS: Actually, after so many years in the airline industry, the challenges are now a part of daily routine. My family consists of my wife and two children. Lucky to have an understanding wife, who handled home and kids along with her job when I was busy. Now, both son and daughter are independent and on their own.
IIK: Thank You so much for your time and all the very best for your future plans for us
AS: It was my pleasure and thank you
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Reshmy Krishnakumar is a freelance Statistician based in India. She was working with Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR) as Research Associate. Having done her post-graduation in Statistics, she worked as lecturer at St.Teresa’s College, Ernakulam, until her relocation to Kuwait to join at Statistics Department, Kuwait University, Khaldiya.
As a freelance writer, she is contributing to various magazines, blogs, and websites. Her passion includes classical dance, writing poems in Malayalam and Hindi. While in Kuwait she was an active member of the Writers’ Forum Kuwait, Indian Women In Kuwait (IWIK) and Science International Forum (SIF) Kuwait.
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