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Who's Who in India Aviation
Air Sahara Profile | Back to Profiles |
| Carrier: | Air Sahara
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| Headquarters: | INDIA
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| Founded: | 1993
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| Destinations: | 0
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| Bases: | New Delhi
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| Owners: | Jet Airways
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| Listed: | Yes
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| Online Booking: | Yes
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| Website: | No longer operates - see JetLite
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| Fleet | | Overview - Air Sahara Air Sahara launched in 1993, and along with Jet Airways was one of 2 private carriers that survived the first decade of deregulation.
The airline had been a small but strong player in the Indian market through the 1990s and early part of this decade, with a good reputation for service quality. The advent of the low cost carrier model in India since 2004 left Air Sahara in a difficult position. LCCs were competing aggressively on price at the lower end, while Jet Airways, and later Kingfisher, were clearly occupying the premium segment of the market. The owners, Sahara India Pariwar, decided to exit the carrier, accepting an offer from Jet Airways in Jan-06 to acquire 100% of the airline for just over US$500 million. The deal subsequently soured, leaving Air Sahara with its original owners. However, following a process of arbitration, the transaction was eventually completed in Apr-2007, when Jet Airways acquired 100% of Air Sahara at a 35% discount to the originally agreed price. In the 15 months since the acquisition was first announced, the combined market share of the two carriers declined from 48% to just over 30%.
Jet Airways has rebranded Air Sahara as JetLite which will operate as a single-class, value-based carrier, with reduced frills but positioned above the other low cost airlines.Last updated: 3 August 2007Copyright Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation
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