Air Deccan - Marketing Plan

Marketing Plan

Problem Statements

 Ramaswamy Gopinath is weeks away from opening a business that will provide the India with their first low cost air carrier and provide all Indians with low fares and the opportunity to fly for the first time. Mr. Gopinath needs to be able to convince his investors that his business model will be successful in the Indian market and that Air Deccan will become a very successful and profitable Company.

Company Objectives

 Empower every Indian to fly

 Become India's first low-cost, no frills airline

 To capture rail travelers market segment

 Break the barriers of perception

 Lead a change of expectations, triggering a democratization of travel

 Differentiation from competitors

Company Background

-Captian Gopinath started his career in the army and after 8 years decided to become an entreprenueur

-He became an eco farmer and won an award for eco farming in 1996

-He stared a helicopter charter service in 1995 with his friend from his army days and had become India's largest heli-charter company

-In 2002 while changing flights he was impressed how a mid level American airport was handling twice the number of flights as the whole of India

Gopinath knew that if he could offer an affordable air ticket in India there was a market

Situation Analysis

Strengths

 Gopinath has experience running a successful helicopter charter service and is now the largest heli-charter company in India (experienced entrepreneur)

 India has many airports and airstrips (vast airport infrastructure)

 Infrastucture under utilized

 Faster departure times than competition

 Service will provide point to point service

 Lean and mean approach to staffing

 Capital is not a barrier

 Gopinath has been successful in his career, successful eco business and his Helicopter charter service

 No connecting flights (point to point service)

Weaknesses

 Many Indians travel by rail as it is inexpensive

 Air travel is expensive or perceived to be expensive

 Only have 1 plane/48 seater (very high risk)

 Customers have to pay for their calls to call centre in Bangalore (no toll free line)

 Point to Point service may not work for passengers that need connecting flights

 Do potential passengers have computers/internet service (wants to use internet for ticket sales)

 Website

 New in the "airline' business

 Only 2 out of 6 private carriers have survived to date

 Airport