<p>   u00a0</p>  <div id="cke_pastebin">   <div id="cke_pastebin">    From a big-ticket brand, in a short span Kingfisher Airlines has nosedived to one with few takers. And now the snub seems to be coming from people who matter the most &ndash; travellers.u00a0</div>   <div>    u00a0</div>   <div>    <div id="cke_pastebin">     If city-based ticketing agencies are to be believed, commuters are saying no to Kingfisher tickets, despite their being offered at unbelievably low prices.</div>    <div>     u00a0</div>    <div id="cke_pastebin">     According to Devang Sanghvi of Andheri-based Venus Holidays, &ldquo;We purchased Kingfisher e-coupons in bulk at Rs 5,500 each, but with the growing uncertainty over the future of the airline, we are selling them at about Rs 3,000. Unfortunately, there are still no buyers. Travellers are willing to pay more for booking on other carriers. When we even broach the subject of these low-cost tickets, they straightaway reject the deal.&rdquo;</div>    <div>     u00a0</div>    <div>     <img alt="" src="/imagedata/2012/mar/kf.jpg" style="width: 400px; height: 319px; " /></div>    <div>     <em>Plane facts: Ticketing agencies too are wary of doing business with Kingfisher due to the fast-dipping fortunes of the carrier. File Pic</em></div>    <div>     u00a0</div>    <div id="cke_pastebin">     <strong>Price no factor</strong></div>    <div id="cke_pastebin">     &ldquo;Our clients whom we booked on Kingfisher were inconvenienced recently as not only did the airline cancel flights, it also failed to accommodate commuters on other carriers. With increasing scepticism about the airline&rsquo;s operations, I have asked my office not to book any ticket of Kingfisher,&rdquo; Pradip Lulla of Cupid Travels said. Lulla too revealed that there are agencies that are struggling to sell Kingfisher coupons.u00a0</div>    <div>     u00a0</div>    <div id="cke_pastebin">     u00a0Ajay Prakash, president, Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI), said, &ldquo;It is the big wholesalers who buy coupons in advance and unfortunately it is not price but reliability which determines consumeru00a0preference and confidence. So, until Kingfisher assures its passengers that its flights will operate on schedule, price remains inconsequential.&rdquo; Prakash is also the chief executive of Andheri-based Nomad Travels. u00a0</div>    <div>     u00a0</div>    <div id="cke_pastebin">     The airline recently reached out to trader groups seeking their cooperation in this bad phase. u00a0</div>    <div>     u00a0</div>    <div id="cke_pastebin">     <strong>Loss of faith</strong></div>    <div id="cke_pastebin">     Praveen Sharma (33), a Lokhandwala-based business consultant said that booking Kingfisher is a risky deal. &ldquo; Till six months back I was an avid supporter of Kingfisheru00a0Airlines. Best service withu00a0zero passenger inconvenience was their priority. But nowu00a0they seem to have completely forgotten what they were. In the last three months I have had two experiences and onu00a0both occasions my familyu00a0members who were booked on the carrier came to know about the cancellation at the last minute. Even the customer care department, that usedu00a0to be the best in the industry, failed to respond in time.u00a0</div>    <div>     u00a0</div>    <div id="cke_pastebin">     The airline neglected to accommodate my family on other carriers. After what I am reading every day about Kingfisher,u00a0I cannot afford to book ticketsu00a0on this carrier. The airline, unsure about itsu00a0operations and employees, cannot assure us that it will operate on time.&rdquo;</div>    <div>     u00a0</div>    <div id="cke_pastebin">     Thirty-year-old Ashutosh Mishra, a senior business manager with an Andheri-based company, said, &ldquo;I have travelled a lot via Kingfisher. It is sad to see the airline&rsquo;s comedown every day. In the past six months, they have cut theu00a0fleet size by one-fourth,u00a0they have cancelled a large number of flights leavingu00a0</div>    <div id="cke_pastebin">     passengers in limbo. Being a salaried person I will neveru00a0opt to travel with this airlineu00a0till the situation improves.&rdquo;</div>    <div>     u00a0</div>    <div>     <div id="cke_pastebin">      <strong>Much has changed in 6 months</strong></div>     <div id="cke_pastebin">      Six months ago the carrier had the second-highest market share and operated a king-size fleet of more than 60 aircraft, a number that has now come down to 16. After getting de-recognised by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the airline does not have any international booking platform and so it recently decided to terminate overseas operations for an indefinite period. In India too the situation is not good as a majority of ticket-booking agencies are reluctant to do business with it due to growing uncertainty over the future of the airline. u00a0</div>     <div>      u00a0</div>     <div>      <div id="cke_pastebin">       <strong>Several offices to be shut down?</strong></div>      <div id="cke_pastebin">       According to reliable sources within the beleaguered carrier, the Goa office of Kingfisher was shut down on Sunday. The airline plans to down shutters on more than half a dozen offices in different cities and is likely to come out with a detailed list today.</div>      <div>       u00a0</div>      <div>       <div id="cke_pastebin">        <strong>Airline speaks</strong></div>       <div id="cke_pastebin">        When contacted, a Kingfisher spokesperson said, &ldquo;We would like to reiterate that the 70%-plus load factors on key trunk routes of Kingfisher Airlines indicate the confidence of guests in the airline.&rdquo;</div>      </div>     </div>    </div>   </div>  </div>  

City-based ticketing agencies unable to sell tickets of the beleaguered airline even at discounted rates, as commuters wary of last-minute cancellations

No takers for Kingfisher tickets even at half price

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No takers for Kingfisher tickets even at half price

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