There's no time like now to fly!

s air fares plummet, guess who's celebrating?

Who would have thought air travel would be affordable in India? Yet, the key words to air travel in India today seem to be low cost. In fact, airlines seem to be making a bid to equal AC II tier rail fares.

Check this:

• Air Sahara slashed its apex fares by 30 per cent in the metros. This equals the AC II tier rail prices.
• The new Indian Airlines apex fares apply to both metros and non-metros, though you have to book your tickets 28 days in advance.
• And the one that started it all: Jet Airways, with its Super Apex and Super Monsoon Apex Fares.

JET AIRWAYS MONSOON SUPER APEX FARES (valid till September 15)
Delhi-Mumbai-Delhi: Rs 5,000
Delhi-Kolkata-Delhi: Rs 6,000
Delhi-Hyderabad-Delhi: Rs 6,000
Delhi-Bangalore-Delhi: Rs 7,000
Delhi-Chennai-Delhi: Rs 7,000

THE DIFFERENCE IN APEX FARES
Indian Airlines: 28 days, applicable one-way, valid till October 15. It also offers seven days and 21 days apex fares.
Jet Airways: 30 days, two-way, valid through the year
Sahara Airlines: 30 days, two-way, valid through the year

THE PERKS
Indian Airlines: Metro shuttle, point to point fares, holiday packages (both domestic and international), frequent flier programmes, flexi fares (where fares increase or decrease in keeping with the demand), e-auctions, co-branded cards (tie-ups with corporates for special discounts), super saver fares, positioning flight fares (positioning flights are operated to and from certain interior centres in order to facilitate customers who are booked on international flights), metro-non-metro fares, specific flight fares.

The metro-non-metro scheme is available till October 15. Under this, a passenger travelling between two metros can take a flight to a non-metro on payment of Rs 1,000.

Sahara: The airlines will soon offer access to other destinations in the Far East and the West with carrier alliances. It will also offer e-ticketing and in-flight auctions.

Jet Airways: Jet Airways-Citibank credit cards, overseas offers for overseas passengers, Jet Privilege domestic programme for frequent fliers, concession fares for senior citizens, students, members of the armed forces and cancer patients.

Image: Dominic Xavier