Go First
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| Founded | 2005 | ||||||
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| Commenced operations | November 2005 | ||||||
| Hubs | |||||||
| Secondary hubs | |||||||
| Focus cities |
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| Frequent-flyer program | GoClub[1] | ||||||
| Fleet size | 19 | ||||||
| Destinations | 22 | ||||||
| Parent company | Wadia Group | ||||||
| Headquarters | Worli, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India | ||||||
| Key people | Jehangir Wadia (MD) Giorgio De Roni (CEO) | ||||||
| Profit |  ₹104 million (US$1.2 million) (2013)[2] | ||||||
| Website | www.goair.in | ||||||
- Not to be confused with go!, the Hawaiian airline.
GoAir is an Indian Low cost carrier based in Mumbai.[3] It commenced operations in November 2005. It is the aviation foray of the Wadia Group. As of January 2014, it is the fifth largest airline in India by market share.[4] It operates domestic passenger services to 22 cities with over 140 daily flights and approximately 975 weekly flights. Its hubs are at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, Mumbai[5] and Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi.
History
GoAir was founded in the year 2005 by Jehangir Wadia, the younger son of eminent Indian industrialist Nusli Wadia. The airline marked the entry into the critical aviation sector for the Wadia Group,[5] an Indian business conglomerate famous for its companies like Bombay Dyeing and Britannia Industries.[6] The Wadia group wholly owns the airline. Jehangir Wadia is also the Managing Director (MD) of the airline.[7] GoAir launched its operations in November 2005 using Airbus A320 aircraft.[6]
Since January 2007, GoAir has been recording an average load factor of 76%.[6] But the airline's growth has been slow, with other airlines established at the same time such as IndiGo and SpiceJet having overtaken GoAir in terms of market share, fleet size and destinations served as of 2013. However, according to Wadia and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Giorgio De Roni, the slow growth of the airline is a company strategy taken up due to the tough aviation environment in India, as a result of which the focus is on maintaining profitability rather than on capturing market share and increasing the destinations and fleet size.[7][8]
In April 2012, the airline moved from sixth and last place to fifth in terms of market share due to the financial crisis at Kingfisher Airlines.[9] But following the grounding of Kingfisher Airlines, the airline once again has the lowest market share (8.8%) as of January 2014.[4]
Destinations
GoAir operates to 22 destinations in India, with over 140 daily flights and approximately 975 weekly flights.[10] Due to the small size of its fleet (19 aircraft), GoAir does not operate any international flights as per the guidelines of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India, but in 2012 the airline has applied for a waiver regarding the same to the ministry which is yet to be approved.[8]
Fleet
As of November 2024, the fleet of GoAir consists of the following aircraft. [11][12]
| Aircraft | In Service | Orders | Passengers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbus A320-200 | 19 | — | 180 | One owned and 15 dry leased |
| Airbus A320neo | — | 72 | Deliveries begin 2015[13] | |
| Total | 19 | 72 | ||
A320neo order
In June 2011, GoAir placed an order for 72 Airbus A320neo[14] (New Engine Option) aircraft worth ₹324 billion (US$3.9 billion). Deliveries will begin from 2015, with an induction rate of 12-15 aircraft per year.[14]
Livery
GoAir's aircraft are painted in blue & white, with the carrier's logo on the tail. Some of the aircraft are in different color schemes including pink, sky blue, light green, grey and brown. GoAir's official website is mentioned on the engines as well.
Services
GoAir does not provide any complimentary meals in its flights, but it does have a buy-on board in-flight meal programme, passengers have a wide choice of Café Coffee Day snacks, sandwiches, samosa, cookies, nuts, soft drinks, tea, coffee, mineral water and more. The airline provides GoAir's exclusive in-flight magazine "Go-getter" which gives the information about seasonal Indian holiday destinations, product information about GoAir & various duty-free products which can be bought on board.
GoAir offers a premium service known as "Go Business" for a seamless flying experience in which the passengers, at a nominal higher fare, get comfortable leg room seats in the first two rows of the aircraft with vacant middle seat, as well as welcome drink with free hot meals and an increased baggage allowance going up to 35kg with priority boarding and deplaning amenities, GoAir also offers GoAir Holidays through its official website.[15]
Awards
GoAir has won the following awards:
- Best Domestic Airline For Excellence in Quality and Efficient Service by Pacific Area Travel Writers Association (2008).[16]
- Best Performing Airline by Airbus (2011).[17]
See also
References
- ^ GoAir frequent flyer program
- ^ "GoAir joins the profit league". Business Standard. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
- ^ "Go Air : Contact Us
- ^ a b "Directory: World Airlines". Flight International. 3 April 2007. p. 87.
- ^ a b c GoAir : About us
- ^ a b "Stay small till customer has a need, not want: Jeh Wadia". The Times of India. Retrieved 30 March 2013.
- ^ a b Mishra, Lalatendu (3 March 2013). "We will not sell under cost". Chennai, India: The Hindu Business Line. Retrieved 30 March 2013.
- ^ "Kingfisher Airlines's market share lowest in country". tnchamber.in. Retrieved 30 March 2013.
- ^ GoAir : Destinations
- ^ IMH:Goair.in. "About GoAir : GoAirk". goair.in. Retrieved 27 July 2013.
- ^ Worldwide presence | Airbus, a leading aircraft manufacturer
- ^ GoAir orders 72 new Airbus A320
- ^ a b GoAir orders 72 Airbus jets for Rs. 32,000 crore
- ^ [1]
- ^ "GoAir receives PATWA's 'Quality & Efficient Service' award". India Aviation. Retrieved 30 March 2013.
- ^ "GoAir ranked the Best Performing Airline by Airbus". Breaking Travel News. Retrieved 30 March 2013.
External links
