Jet Airways has announced consolidation of Jetlite and Jet Airways Konnect operations under one brand ‘Jet Konnect’ from Sunday.
With this, passengers will have the option of choosing full service on Jet Airways and low-cost service on JetKonnect.
Jetlite was formed after Jet Airways took over Air Sahara while Jet Airways Konnect was launched in 2009 to provide value-for-money service. With the merger of these two brands, over 400 out of 600 flights being operated on Jet network are likely to be in the low-cost category.
Jet Airways has said that this merger is part of a strategic rebranding exercise. It will simplify the Group’s service proposition and enhance brand recall, it added. The flights will be operated with a mixed fleet of Boeings and ATR aircraft on metro, tier II and III routes.
JetKonnect will offer premier services on certain routes where passengers may enjoy services identical to that available on flights of Jet Airways. This will be further expanded in a phased manner. The cockpit and cabin crew will don the same uniform as their counterparts in Jet Airways.
Some JetKonnect flights will operate under the S2 code while others under the 9W code. 9W and S2 will also continue their existing code share agreement.
Mr Sudheer Raghavan, Chief Commercial Officer of Jet Airways, said, "The launch of brand JetKonnect is the culmination of a well coordinated effort. We are confident that this initiative will be well accepted by all our guests. The Jet Airways Group is continually looking at opportunities to optimally deploy and cross-utilise common resources of Jet Airways and JetLite wherever possible and this rebranding exercise will help further in synergising the airlines' collective operations."