Indiantelevision.com Team

(3 July 2007 3:30 pm)

BANGALORE: Low cost airline operator Air Deccan has created yet another first by partnering with India Post for sale of tickets at post offices.

This unique tie-up is one amongst the various innovative distribution channels that the airline operates for dispensing tickets. Air Deccan was the first airline to introduce ticketing at petrol pumps, retail outlets, online kiosks and web outlets making air tickets easily accessible round the clock.

India Post, the country’s 150 year old postal system with more than 150,000 post offices and over 600,000 employees, is the largest postal network in the world. It has access to the entire population of the country spread over varied terrain.

India Post has 5000 internet enabled post offices in India and initially Air Deccan tickets will be available across 500 internet enabled post offices across the state of Karnataka.

As per an official release, Deccan Aviation executive chairman Captain Gopinath said, “India Post has woven itself into the very fabric of rural India, penetrating deep into the bowels of the country, providing much needed connectivity. Our plans of making every Indian to fly will come to fruition and inclusive growth of the economy will take place when we can make the flights and tickets available to the common man living in rural India. Our tie up with India Post will give us enhanced visibility and trigger the aspirations of the Rural Indian which will reflect in increased number of Rural Indians taking to the skies.”

He further added, “This alliance will assist both organizations to achieve the common goal of reaching out to the common man. It will benefit India Post in generating additional revenue with their existing infrastructure. Our model is largely driven by availability of Internet and credit card, this tie up will ensure that our tickets are available to the Indians residing in Rural India where the penetration of both is comparatively lesser, enabling people to make cash payments at the Internet driven India Post offices”.