About Airline Network Planning
The task of Network Planning is to design, develop, implement, monitor and continuously improve the network of flights deployed by the airline as a cohesive and interconnected system. Network Planning’s objectives are, therefore, always maximizing profitability using both revenue enhancement and cost minimization levers in the route planning and schedule design process. This group drives the short, medium and strategic long term capacity plan for the Company – the key starting point around which all company plans are based - at corporate and department level. Due to its role, the team bears significant responsibility for the Company’s future. The group includes specialists at schedule design and management as well as analytical expertise with a high level of exposure and understanding for airline economics and its key drivers. Network is an intellectually stimulating place to work with a 360 degree view of the airline business and significant influence on the Company’s economic performance. It is for this reason that this area has been material part of the career journey of a large proportion of Airline Leaders over the decades.
Network @ IndiGo
IndiGo has developed rapidly over the last 15 years to become the market leader in Domestic travel in India with a fleet of over 250 aircraft and a footprint that spans the length and breadth of the domestic market. In addition, prior to the advent of Covid related restrictions, IndiGo was rapidly expanding its international footprint, and had already established a strong position in primary regional markets in SAARC, South East Asia and the Gulf. Going forward, IndiGo will continue its rapid growth, with the fleet size expected to exceed 500 aircraft in the next 5 years. This expansion will be built on the twin pillars of maintaining a leadership position in Domestic by building greater breadth and depth in the network; and driving a high pace of international growth through expansion to new markets beyond the traditional marketplaces served by Indian carriers.
This next phase of growth will be characterized by increased level of complexity in the network and a high focus on further developing the Network group’s capabilities in route & market analytics, process improvement and automation.
As a market leader, IndiGo’s growth is inextricably linked to India’s aviation growth in general, and specifically to the exploration of new markets, requiring network analytics to explore new ways of understanding customer behavior, demand drivers in untapped markets and modelling future growth in the absence of air travel data.
The Indian market is expected to see increased competition, and network will play a crucial role in designing schedules and operating patterns that maximize resource productivity and cost incentives at different airports
International growth will require a high level of attention on market stimulation, connecting traffic flows, evaluation of new hub structures, partnerships and the evolution of traffic rights.
Growing scale and complexity will drive the need for more well defined processes and a higher reliance on automation and reporting to track, monitor and adjust network performance.
Roles
We are building IndiGo’s network team to pave the path to the airline’s future. The group’s responsibilities spans Strategic, Operational, Aero-political and Partnership verticals and members of the team will develop strong understanding across all these dimensions. This team is required to work in a highly charged, fast paced and fluid industry environment, and required to be innovative and nimble at all times.
We are looking for analytically skilled, technology oriented, energetic and passionate individuals who will join a committed group to form a unit that will analyse, plan and execute in areas that will be central to the company’s future strategy. Selected candidates will be rotated through multiple core functions and will develop a unique insight and perspective into the airline business, and be drivers of IndiGo’s journey from being a India’s foremost airline to becoming a global leader.
Due to the central nature of the role, a successful network planner will be required to develop a working understanding of important revenue and cost drivers across the business, and will engage, interact & coordinate with operational and commercial counterparts on a daily basis. As an outcome (apart from growing within the group), experienced network planners have opportunities to progress to management positions across the business in Sales, Revenue Management, Operations Management, CP&A, Marketing, Digital, Loyalty etc.
The role:
The selected candidate will join a group of high-quality experts in the field of Network Planning and Schedule Design that are mission critical for the success of the airline. The role will include responsibility & involvement in the following areas:
Qualities the role will require:
Qualifications & Experience
What could the future hold:
As an outcome, the candidate will develop as an all-round resource with a multitude of future possibilities, with connectivity across the organization.