The emergence of many low cost airlines services have been largely responsible for the Indian Railways getting at the wrong end of competitive pricing of travel options for national and international tourists. With melting prices of many new, pocket-friendly flight services being offered to the market-savvy tourist, air-travel is fast becoming the chosen form of making a comfortable, affordable and easy trip.

Rock-bottom prices offered by the new breed of flight operators like GoAir, Kingfisher, Deccan, Spice Jet and others in the category of low-cost airline options translates into high-savings for the customer, who is making the most of this continuing fare tussle between the railways and these business-savvy airline services. This has made the Indian traveler wise in the ways of spending money on the right and ready travel option of air-travel as opposed to longer, tedious journey courtesy the Indian Railways. The advantage given to the Indian traveler by the average low-cost carrier, or LCC, as it is referred to in the aviation industry, has made travel by air a long-desired and recently affordable reality for thousands of Indians born under a wandering star! With the need to travel, learn, explore or simply unwind being a priority with many middle-class Indians, the fact that these LCC's are offering competitive and low-cost flying options has opened up a whole new world of classy comfort in the skies thanks to cheap airfares constantly being challenged by similar airline services, in the same sector. For business travelers and frequent fliers, the opportunity to grab the many and varied options of cheap airfares may just be a simple choice since many a time, the cost is borne by the company; however, for the average India, the emerging market for low-cost airlines has spelt that many more holiday options with affordable traveling that is markedly cheap!

Air Deccan had earlier introduced airfares almost in the same price range as that of the AC II-tier train fares and it came as no wonder that the public responded to this announcement with great joy at saving the time and trouble associated with traveling by train. Other leading Indian airlines such as Jet, Indian Airlines and Sahara responded in kind by slashing their flight ticket prices to accommodate the expanding hordes of Indian travelers and thus, grew the great market for Apex fares!