IndiGo offers up to 10% discount to vaccinated passengers
IndiGo is the first airline in the country to offer such discounts to customers who have taken the COVID jab
June 23, 2021 / 10:51 AM IST
Interglobe Aviation-run IndiGo airline is offering a discount of up to 10 percent on the base fares to customers who have been vaccinated against COVID-19, the airline said in a press release on June 23.
The largest domestic airline in terms of market share in India becomes the first airline in the country to offer its customers a discount for getting vaccinated at a time when the Ministry of Civil Aviation has set a fare cap on seat pricing.
IndiGo said it expects its move to promote more people in India to go and get the COVID-19 vaccine.
"Being the largest airline in the country, we feel it is our responsibility to contribute to the national vaccination drive, by encouraging more people towards this common goal. This offer will not only strengthen their resolve towards vaccination but also ensure that they can travel safely at affordable fares with IndiGo," the airline said in a press release.
IndiGo said that the offer is only available to vaccinated passengers aged 18 years and above, who are located in India at the time of booking and have already received a Covid-19 vaccine in the country.
"Passengers who have availed the offer at the time of booking shall be required to furnish a valid Covid-19 vaccination certificate, issued by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India. Alternately, they can display their vaccination status on the Aarogya Setu mobile application at the airport check-in counter/boarding gate," the airline said in a press release.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation had on June 1, increased the cap on domestic seat pricing in India in order to avoid predatory pricing by airlines in the domestic market. The ministry has also cut the cap on domestic seating capacity to 50 percent.
The move to offer customers a discount if they have been vaccinated is something that has been adopted by airlines globally. In many European countries, airlines are also tying up with health authorities to offer customers a chance to get vaccinated on arrival in order to promote the vaccine. In India as well many restaurants are also offering discounts to customers who have been vaccinated.
Vaccination of a majority portion of India's population is essential in the country's fight against the pandemic and to return to a pre-COVID normal. Government experts said that quick vaccination is the key to opening the economy and added that the government aims is to vaccinate one crore people every day.