India’s Jet Airways is looking at remodelling its low cost subsidiary JetKonnect as a full service airline as part of its anticipated alignment with Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Airways, according to local media.
Etihad is awaiting final approval to purchase 24 percent of India’s second largest carrier.
Jet Airways downgraded JetKonnect after rebranding it from Air Sahara, the airline it bought in 2008. It also merged JetKonnect with JetLite in 2012.
But it is now preparing to change again, including free meals, adding eight business class seats to each aircraft and improving its loyalty programs, according to business website livemint.com.
“The plan is to start giving free meals to passengers like it was earlier on JetKonnect and bring the airline at par with Jet Airways in all respects,” an unnamed source told the website.
“This will be one of the many steps towards aligning with Etihad.”
Analysts said the downgrading of JetKonnect to a low cost carrier had led to brand confusion.
“The Jet Airways story is very confused. There’s Jet Airways and Jet Konnect and there was JetLite,” aviation consultant Shakti Lumba, who has formerly worked with full service carrier Air India and low cost carrier IndiGo, was quoted as saying.
“Until it reorganises, I see little benefit from the oxygen Etihad is supplying.”
JetKonnect serves 50 cities with more than 430 daily flights.
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