Deccan's Captain Gopinath is aiming to steal a march on his rivals. Courtesy of AFP/Getty.
Have we reached a crossroads in the Indian aviation market? As I have previously reported, the sector does seem to be something of an anomaly. The potential is vast, but there seems to be a general unwillingness/inability for home-grown carriers to step in and grasp the bull by the horns.
So that’s why yesterday’s launch of Deccan Express Logistics’ international service is such an important event. The market seems to have been dominated by mega-personalities who are frequently able to talk the talk, but not quite walk the walk. Take, for example, jewel-encrusted billionaire Vijay Mallya, boss of private giant Kingfisher Airlines and a role model to feminists all over the world.
In an interview with a UK tabloid newspaper, he was unstinting in his assessments of the attributes Kingfisher stewardesses needed to be able to fulfil their role. “At the end of the day, we want smart, pretty girls, who meet our minimum height and maximum weight standards,” Mallya stated.
While it’s not Mallya’s fault that the market has crumbled recently, the fact remains that a whole host of operators, both in the passenger and cargo field, have failed to deliver on promises to start operations.
But Deccan may have the ability to deliver something different. In the hands of a man who has tasted success in the sector before, and who is working to put the company on a sound financial footing, the prospects are tremendous. With companies like Emirates pouring the capacity into the market, it’s clear that the future volumes available to operators that seek to stake their claim now are considerable.
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