Indigo takes ad war to Air India’s home turf

The poster put up by Indigo at the International Terminal

The advertisement duel between Air India and Indigo reached a personal level, with the private airline posting its advertisement blatantly naming the national carrier at the Mumbai International airport.

The Aviation Ministry said it had taken note of the ad barbs being exchanged, while Air India has termed Indigo’s act to be “unprofessional attitude”.

On September 17, Air India put up a general hoarding on the wall panel behind the Indigo check-in counter stating, “Next time fly with Air India and feel the difference.”

Taking the ad personally, Indigo retorted to the poster on September 22 with a placard of its own stating the on-time performance of Air India was worst while the customer complaints’ were highest for the national carrier.

Two more such ad hoardings were exchanged between the two on September 25 and September 30.

After the ad duel reached the Ministry of Civil Aviation an official said, “The national carrier was asked to first take down its hoarding. They were informed that Indigo would follow suit.”

Air India, which had replied to Indigo on September 25, then removed its hoarding on September 27.

However, two days after Air India took down its posters down (they were removed from the terminal 1B- domestic) Indigo came up with a direct hard hitting poster again, but this time at the international terminal (T2) from where Air India operates on Friday, September 30.

“The national carrier had put up the first advertisement in the arrivals section of the domestic terminal though it operates only from the international terminal. This probably could be the response to the national carrier,” said an official on the condition of anonymity.

Sources confirmed that the ministry had assured Air India that the country's leading budget airline would stop the ad-war once it took off its advertisements from the domestic terminal in Mumbai. The situation on the contrary aggravated with Indigo refusing to let up and came up with another poster on T2. “Air India officials are upset with Indigo as they had removed their posters, yet Indigo went ahead and came up with a poster that stated “stay tuned for more,” said the official.

Both Air India and Indigo spokesperson did not comment on the issue.