FITSAIR
Q: How did FitsAir evolve from a cargo airline to become Sri Lanka’s first private international airline?
A: FitsAir has been here for over 25 years, primarily as an international cargo airline along with offering a host of ancillary services in the aviation industry. Our freighter aircraft operations spanned across Papua in Indonesia to Kinshasa in Congo.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Sri Lanka deregulated international air services and permitted private airlines to operate international passenger services.
We invested and inducted three jet engine Airbus A320 aircraft into our fleet, and established an international network with flights to Dubai, subsequently extending it to Malé and Chennai.
The low-cost carrier (LCC) airline model has been successful the world over. Figuring out what a Sri Lankan LCC should look like has been our challenge and opportunity. We believe in the LCC airline model and feel a home-based low-cost carrier in Sri Lanka is needed.
Q: How has your organisation positioned itself in the industry since launching international passenger services in October 2022?
A: Being a part of this regulated and competitive industry, our personality resonates with the heartwarming essence of a true Sri Lankan. We position ourselves as an on time, convenient and value for money service provider, focussing on efficiency, discipline and being agile.
Operating in an industry where operational efficiency can significantly impact profitability, FitsAir has diligently focussed on optimising cost structures by operating high seat density aircraft.
Q: And how does FitsAir look to maintain its cost effectiveness while making flying affordable?
A: We treat cost leadership as an operating principle, and this is reflected in numerous strategic choices and practices throughout the organisation. We believe that unit economics is significant in the airline business. We’re focussed on achieving this through high airplane utilisation, fast turnarounds and high seat density on our aircraft.
Another area of importance is how we evaluate our route network to identify opportunities for optimisation. This involves assessing demand, competition and operational efficiency.
By selecting routes strategically, we’re able to maximise load factors and revenue. We also place emphasis on rigorous maintenance practices.
This ensures that flights operate on time, enhancing customer satisfaction and minimising disruption-related expenses.
FitsAir’s effective workforce management has really worked for us. All our employees are highly skilled and efficiently managed. By investing in training and performance management, we are able to achieve higher productivity levels, which in turn contribute to cost effectiveness.
Finally, we are absolutely committed to affordability with a customer-centric approach. By focussing on what customers truly value and optimising services accordingly, we’re able to provide an exceptional flying experience whilst offering affordable rates.
Q: Could you shed light on how the airline ensures timely operations?
A: On time performance is at the core of our commitment to hassle free travel. We understand that flight delays can be incredibly frustrating, and we’ve implemented a range of strategies and practices to ensure that our flights consistently depart and arrive on schedule.
Our growth has been organic and we’ve steadily added routes, ensuring that we have tight control over operations.
FitsAir’s unwavering commitment to on time performance is underpinned by a relentless pursuit of continuous improvement, ensuring that our passengers enjoy a seamless and reliable travel experience. I am also proud to say we are being recognised globally for our commitment in this aspect.
Q: Are there plans for FitsAir to expand to new destinations?
A: We have exciting plans. Operating in a densely populated region provides us with a distinctive advantage that we’re keen to capitalise on.
Over the next 24 months, our growth strategy is twofold – focussing on network expansion and product consolidation. In terms of network expansion, our emphasis is on enhancing our connectivity within India. By strengthening our presence and routes within India, we aim to provide even more convenient travel options.
Simultaneously, we’re setting our sights on breaking into new markets in South and Southeast Asia. These regions hold immense promise in terms of both business and leisure point to point travel.
In addition to scheduled passenger services, we also operate charter flights to serve niche markets and capitalise on seasonal demand. Our most recent collaboration has enabled us to operate direct flights to Yerevan in Armenia, making FitsAir the first Sri Lanka airline to do so.
Q: How does FitsAir envision its growth as it aims to expand its route network and improve services?
A: Our vision is to become a recognised regional low-cost airline, primarily focussing on point to point connectivity. We aim to align ourselves with the growth trajectories of some of the world’s fastest growing economies – India, Saudi Arabia and Bangladesh – by providing seamless connectivity.
We anticipate positioning ourselves to be a 10 aircraft operator within the next 36 months. This expansion will be instrumental in broadening our route network, enabling us to serve a greater number of destinations.
Our focus on narrowbody service to regional airports aligns with our commitment to enhancing accessibility and convenience for our passengers – even in underserved areas.
Furthermore, our focus throughout this journey remains squarely on providing a superior travel experience that puts our passengers at the core of our mission.
– Compiled by Allaam Ousman
COMPANY DETAILS
Telephone: 7940940 | Email: ammar.kassim@fitsair.com | Websites: www.fitsair.com
