Thomas Cook India’s Madhavan Menon Highlights Persistent Challenge of High Airfares
Thomas Cook India’s Madhavan Menon Highlights Persistent Challenge of High AirfaresHigh airfares continue to pose a significant challenge for both leisure and business travelers in India, according to Madhavan Menon, the Executive Chairman of Thomas Cook India. In a recent interview with PTI, Menon highlighted that despite an increase in scheduled flights, airline capacity remains a critical issue.
Menon expressed hope that the introduction of new aircraft into the network will help ease the demand-supply constraints, though he noted this would be a long-term solution.
Discussing Thomas Cook India’s expansion strategies, Menon revealed that the company is focusing on broadening and strengthening its physical presence through a mix of owned and franchise outlets, while also accelerating its digital initiatives. “We are continuing our retail expansion across metros, mini-metros, and regional areas in India with a combination of owned and franchise outlets,” he stated. Additionally, the company has leveraged existing franchise outlets to establish foreign exchange counters, which has allowed for a rapid scale-up of their distribution network.
Regarding challenges in the Indian market, Menon acknowledged ongoing issues with visa appointment slots and turnaround times, although he noted some improvement over the past year. He emphasized that high airfares remain a persistent challenge affecting Indian travelers.
Menon also mentioned that more accessible visa regimes, such as eVisas and Visa on Arrival, along with announcements of free visa entry for Indians by countries like Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and Thailand, have been beneficial. The recent implementation of Schengen’s multi-entry longer-term cascade visa regime should also help ease the workload of consular teams.