Pop to India: the proposition of Stansted's newest long-haul airline
People Over Profit is the mantra of a new low-cost airline flying from London to India
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Your support makes all the difference.A new airline launching a direct route not served by any other airline out of London is pretty newsworthy stuff. But multiply that by a factor of two, sprinkle in a crowdfunded launch proposition and a generous dose of philanthropy – the airline has committed to donating 51 per cent of its profits to funding social projects – and you have "POP", a new low-cost airline that plans to rev up its engines for flights out of Stansted before the end of the year.
On Sunday, the airline hosted a launch party at The Indian High Commission in Nehru House, in London's Mayfair, attended by a spectrum of dignitaries, including Lord Loomba CBE.
POP's launch destinations are Amritsar (Punjab) and Ahmedabad (Gujarat), two of India's key "secondary cities", and part of the airline's plans to "provide air services between the extensive Indian communities in the UK and South Asia" says the airline, catering for a mix of VFR (visiting friends and family), leisure tourism and business passengers. Hitherto, travel to these destinations from the UK meant lengthy road journeys or connecting with regional flights upon arrival at India's bigger hub airports.
So why "POP"? Low-cost airlines seem to have a soft spot for snappy, one-syllable names, such as "Scoot", "HOP!", "WOW", "UP" – well, you get the picture. But POP is an acronym for "People Over Profit", the airline's mantra. "We are committed to putting People Over Profit – POP! It’s all in the name" says the airline.
Just over half of the airline's profits will be allocated to charities in the UK and India, and passengers will be able to select beneficiaries during the flight-booking process. Initially these will channel through the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF), though the airline says it may establish a dedicated charitable foundation in due course.
As for the actual inflight product and experience, POP's routes will be served by a 378-seat Airbus A330-300 operating on a weekly schedule. Stansted, owned by Manchester Airport Group (MAG), from whence the flights will depart, should prove a popular setting off point for POP's flights as the airport recently implemented an £80 million makeover of its international departures lounge.
The POP ticket price, the airline says, will include 46kg of checked luggage, a choice of basic snacks and hot drinks and water, seat selection, as well as magazines and newspapers (both in Indian and English languages).
On board, POP's aircraft will be equipped with wi-fi, and although an all-economy seating layout is planned, passengers will be able to purchase a range of optional extras, including extra legroom, an extended range of snacks and meals, a bar service (including alcoholic drinks), duty-free items, as well as headphones. Pre-flight options include airport lounge access and priority boarding.
Crowdfunding is the path POP has chosen to raise start-up funds – in association with Trillion Fund Ltd – commencing in early June and running for 60 days, intended to raise £5m through the pre-sale of "Gold Passes", priced at £500 each, "to supporters who are attracted by a different kind of rewards package". The first 10,000 Gold Pass holders will "win one free off-peak return seat to any POP destination" and will be entitled to a range of other VIP benefits for a five year duration, including extra baggage allowance, fast-track departure, free on-board meals, free Wi-Fi, as well as a first look (via text/email) at next season’s fares, a minimum of 24 hours before public release .
At Sunday's launch party, POP's Chairman and Principal of POP, Navdip Singh Judge – aka Nino – and the airline's fellow directors presented the strategy, sales, marketing, CSR, and operational aspects of the airline's plans.
Revealing POP's holistic approach to combining a much-needed direct service to Amritsar and Ahmedabad with an ethical approach to business, Chairman Navdip Singh Judge said "My vision is to create an airline that, unlike any other before it, serves not just the passengers travelling between the UK and the developing world but, just as importantly, delivers tangible benefits to the communities they are visiting. POP will provide an ‘Enhanced-Value’ in the air and in the community.”
Paul Sillers is a freelance aero-industry writer focusing on design, technology, user-experience and brand strategy
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