Upstart Airline Hits Obstacles in India
When the fast-growing Malaysian carrier AirAsia wanted to expand, India looked like the ideal frontier.
當成長快速的馬來西亞航空公司「亞洲航空」想擴大版圖時，印度看似理想的新疆域。
The country had hundreds of millions of potential first-time fliers, many in second- and third-tier cities that have just a few flights a day. With one-way airfares as low as $20, AirAsia aimed to capture huge chunks of tourism and holiday traffic from India’s slow trains.
印度這個國家擁有數億的潛在乘客，許多人住在二、三線城市，一天只有幾班飛機。亞航將最低單程票價降低到20美元，欲以分食印度慢吞吞火車的觀光與假日運輸大餅。
Then, AirAsia discovered the difficulties of doing business in India. It has contended with red tape and regulations for new entrants that have added significant cost and complexity to its operations. Competition has proved fierce, and persistent price wars cut deeply into profits.
其後，亞航發現了在印度經商的難處。它必須克服專為新加入者制定的繁瑣手續和規定，這些不僅導致營運成本大幅提高，還增添了複雜性。競爭也相當激烈，從不停歇的價格戰讓利潤大減。
After its first year in operation, AirAsia India has just 1 percent of the country’s domestic passenger market. While initially focusing mainly on smaller, underserved cities in south India, the airline has now started flying routes from the country’s largest, Delhi. “We realized that we need to be more visible, both to fliers and to policy makers,” said Mittu Chandilya, chief executive of AirAsia India.
營運一年後，印度亞航僅占印度國內乘客市場的1%。雖然最初主要聚焦於印度南部較小、欠缺服務的城市，印度亞航現已開始飛行從印度最大城市德里起降的航線。印度亞航執行長米圖．查迪亞說：「我們發現需要提高能見度，對乘客和決策者都要。」
AirAsia has focused on keeping costs low and wringing out extra revenues by selling in-flight meals and entertainment and charging fees for checked bags or seats with extra legroom.
亞航一直專注於壓低成本，再從販賣機上餐、提供娛樂、收取託運行李和提供座椅額外伸腿空間的費用，擠出額外的營收。
AirAsia exported the model from its home in Malaysia to the Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia, trying to capitalize on the fast-growing economies in the region. Among Southeast Asia’s budget carriers, it accounts for more than a third of all seat capacity, studies show.
亞航將這套模式從馬來西亞的大本營出口至菲律賓、泰國和印尼，試圖搭該地區經濟體成長快速的順風車。研究顯示，東南亞各廉價航空公司載客總容量，亞航所占比率超過三分之一。
The expansion has faced setbacks. AirAsia left Japan in 2013 after an impasse with its joint venture partner All Nippon Airways. Late last year, the carrier faced its first major crisis, when a plane carrying 162 people crashed into the ocean off the Indonesian shore.
擴張行動遭遇了挫折。在和合資企業夥伴全日空航空鬧僵後，亞航2013年從日本撤退。去年底，亞航面臨第一個重大危機，一架載有162人的客機在印尼外海墜海。
Mr. Chandilya acknowledges that he misjudged India’s stringent regulatory environment. Taxes on aviation turbines are higher than almost anywhere else in the world. Every airline is required to fly to remote regions, where flights often run half full. And new entrants are prohibited from flying lucrative international routes until they are five years old and have at least 20 aircraft, the so-called 5/20 rule.
查迪亞坦承錯估了印度規範嚴苛的環境。航空渦輪稅幾乎全球最高。當局規定每家航空公司均須飛偏遠地區，班機經常只有半滿。新進航空公司必須加入市場滿5年，且至少擁有20架飛機，亦即合乎所謂的5/20規定，才准飛賺錢的國際航線。
AirAsia has also had to go head-to-head with IndiGo, which commands almost 40 percent of the market, according to government statistics. On each new route opened by AirAsia India, IndiGo has followed, setting off a price war.
亞航還得與湛藍航空硬碰硬。據政府統計，湛藍的市占率近四成。印度亞航每開闢新航線湛藍都會跟進，掀起殺價戰。
Mr. Chandilya has been pushing for reforms, like lowering the tax on aviation turbine fuel. Each Indian state controls its own taxes on aviation turbine fuel, and in many places it is kept as high as 30 percent. More than half of AirAsia India’s operating costs are fuel-related.
查迪亞一直要求當局改革，如降低航空渦輪燃料稅等。印度的航空渦輪燃料稅由各省自行管轄，許多地方稅率高達30%。印度亞航的營運成本一半以上與燃料有關。
High taxes extend to maintenance and Indian airlines often take their aircraft to nearby countries for work. AirAsia India plans to send its planes to Malaysia or Singapore for servicing.
高稅率還及於維修，印度的航空公司經常將客機送往鄰國維修。印度亞航計畫將客機送至馬來西亞或新加坡維修。
“I talk to ministers and policy makers about how they can help the industry and promote growth, but it is very difficult to get them to understand that reducing these taxes will probably boost their states’ economies,” Mr. Chandilya said.
查迪亞說：「我跟部長和決策者談過他們可如何協助航空業者以及促進經濟成長，但很難讓他們了解，降低這些稅很可能會促進這些省分的經濟成長。」
The Ministry of Civil Aviation has put forward a proposal to ease the 5/20 rule.
民航部已提出放寬5/20規定的一項建議案。
To inaugurate the Delhi hub in May, government officials and investors were flown over northern India before circling over the Taj Mahal, and then returning to Delhi. The flight also represented the entry of AirAsia India’s fourth plane into its fleet.
5月為德里中心舉行揭幕儀式時，印度亞航邀請政府官員和投資人遨翔印度北部天際，在泰姬瑪哈陵上空繞了一圈後才返回德里。那一趟飛行同時標記第四架客機在印度亞航機隊中入列。
“When our first plane landed there, I made sure we could park it right between two of IndiGo’s planes,” Mr. Chandilya said. “I wanted their passengers to see us. We’re taking on the big dog. We’re now inside IndiGo’s fort.”
查迪亞說：「當我們的第一架客機降落那裡時，我確保我們的客機能夠停在兩架湛藍客機之間。我要他們的乘客看見我們。我們正向大鯨魚挑戰。現在我們已攻入湛藍的堡壘。」
（王麗娟譯）
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