Jet Airways, the second-biggest carrier in India by passengers and an airline partner of UAE-based Etihad Airways, has registered a 3.2 per cent jump in its total revenue which soared to ₹5,682 crore ($850 million) over ₹5,504 crore ($842 million) the previous year.

The group's net profit too increased for the period ending September 30, 2016 to ₹85 crore ($13 million) despite a drop in operating performance.

The passenger revenues rose by 2.2 per cent to ₹4,785 crore  ($716 million) from ₹4,682 crore ($716 million) even as the airline faced a traditionally ‘lean’ quarter and domestic yields under pressure.

Jet Airways continued to grow its capacity, network connectivity and guest experience by deploying its wide-body aircraft on key international and domestic routes during the quarter which helped it augment capacity to carry 6.77 million passengers, up 6.3 per cent from 6.37 million.

Also the available seat kilometres increased 5.7 per cent to 13.23 billion primarily due to deployment of wide body aircraft.

Wide-body B777s were deployed between Mumbai, Dubai and Singapore, enabling the airline to carry a higher number of passengers, said the statement from the Indian carrier.

Enhanced synergies with partner carriers and improved operational performance also helped drive traffic and loads. The airline’s presence in both domestic and international sectors and its fleet mix enabled it to manage the cyclical nature of its business successfully, it added.

Commenting on the results, chairman Naresh Goyal said: "Improvements in operational performance have helped Jet Airways participate in the strong growth being witnessed in the Indian aviation market."

"Our guests form the core of our business and we continue to evolve to offer them an enhanced experience and additional choices for travel. That includes providing seamless global and domestic connectivity as well as freedom and flexibility to plan their travel via our unique ‘Fare Choices’ initiative," he stated.

"We have also ensured that our fleet deployment and our alliances and codeshare relationships are aligned to enrich the experience of guests," he added.

James Hogan, the vice chairman, Jet Airways and president and chief executive of Etihad Aviation Group, said: "Our continued collaboration has supported ongoing improvement in Jet Airways performance, despite the ongoing pressure on yields. We have made robust progress in our common aim to leverage mutual synergies to enhance the value for our guests and the business."

He pointed out that the growth in passenger numbers and aircraft utilisation contributed significantly to its performance during the second quarter, together with maintaining a broadly flat non-fuel cost, despite inflation.

Passengers and revenues delivered by Etihad Airways and its partners rose by 32 per cent and 25 per cent respectively during the period, he added.

With its focus on growing the contribution from ancillary revenues, Jet Airways also rolled out several innovative and guest-friendly initiatives in the form of 'Priority Advantage' for Economy guests as well as a refreshed and updated 'Seat Select' feature.
It also launched JetScreen – a next-generation in-flight entertainment system with wireless streaming service - during the quarter.

These initiatives have helped Jet Airways strengthen its value proposition, providing it with a significant competitive edge, as it continues to adopt and introduce ahead-of-the-curve technology to enhance guest satisfaction, driving operational efficiency.

The Indian carrier said the quarter also witnessed a growth of 15 per cent in overall codeshare traffic, including a growth of 32 per cent between Etihad Airways and its partner airlines.

Jet Airways, together with Etihad Airways now offer more flights to and from India, than any other airline.

The greater connectivity and choice provided by Jet Airways to guests continued to deliver incrore eased codeshare numbers not only with strategic partner Etihad Airways and other Etihad Airways Partners, but also on an overall basis, it added.-TradeArabia News Service