IndiGo, Jet, JetLite, SpiceJet offer "low fares"

IndiGo, Jet Airways, JetLite, and SpiceJet have announced Advance Purchase Excursion (APEX) fares for all purchases made at least 21 days before the flight departure.

Jet Airways offers a fare of INR 250 while JetLite offers a fare of INR 9. The booking and sale validity of this offer is from January 1 to January 31, 2009.

SpiceJet is offering ‘Spicy Hot Fares’ starting INR 99 across its network and is valid till June 30, 2009.

IndiGo's APEX scheme is called 'Early Bird Fares' and start at INR 99.

All fares mentioned above are exclusive of taxes and surcharge, and this is where the kicker comes. The fuel surcharges are still around INR 2,000 for short distance (under 750km) and INR 3,000 for long distance.

I really wish that airlines respect their passengers' intelligence. These APEX fares while welcome, remind me of the earlier times when airlines used to offer a "fly free" concept. After all, we do know basic arithmetic.