In 2023, DreamFolks achieved a milestone with over 90 per cent of its business being driven by exclusive lounge bookings, accompanied by a surge in revenues. Speaking about this, Liberatha Kallat, the Founder and Managing Director informs further about the company’s shift towards diversification in the year ahead, with an emphasis on expanding services to include enterprises.
Anticipating 2024, Kallat pointed to DreamFolks’ strategy which will aim to diversify their service portfolio beyond lounges, extending into lifestyle offerings and catering to enterprises. This also includes implementing the launch and benefits of the recent Club Card in December 2023, tailored to diverse travel and lifestyle preferences. Currently, the majority of DreamFolks’ clients are banks. Going forward, the company looks at driving 20 per cent of its revenue from non bank companies and services including beauty, grooming, healthcare and more.
“We are broadening our horizon, focusing not only on banks and network providers but also on enterprises. Our roadmap involves adding more diverse services, evolving our portfolio to meet evolving consumer needs,” she said, hinting at the launch of new services expected in 2024.
Kallat said that every enterprise is their target going forward as DreamFolks is keen on offering these benefits not just to employees but also to clients and channel partners. “We’re planning to sell these services directly to enterprises through various channels, with a current emphasis on this sector.”
“Moving ahead, we will constantly evolve, seeking to incorporate more services that cater not only to travel but also to lifestyle. The reason why we launched The Club Card; it bridges gaps, offering various services beyond lounges. It’s about creating holistic packages that encompass both travel and lifestyle, ensuring a seamless experience for travellers,” she added.
The recently launched DreamFolks Club offers various membership packages designed to cater to travel and lifestyle needs. With a one-year validity and starting price ranging between INR 8000-10000, the Club introduces four card variants. The entry-level package offers complimentary access to airport lounges within India.
Presently, DreamFolks operates as a travel services aggregator, leveraging an exclusive in-house technology platform to enable entities such as Banks, Card Networks, Airlines, OTAs, in crafting personalised offerings for their customers. DreamFolks also oversees lounge facilities and associated perks for leading Indian Banks, including HDFC, Axis, ICICI, and others.
Responding to the travel needs of Southern India, the charter flights from Bengaluru will serve as a gateway, offering direct and exclusive access to Bhutan. With the southern region already contributing over 45 per cent to the companies’ business in Bhutan, this initiative aims to bridge the gap created by the lack of direct air connectivity.
Travel has become a priority with huge shift in lounge usage
According to Kallat, the surge in airport traffic and increased credit card penetration became key drivers for the company’s success. “With about 90 per cent of our revenue attributed to lounge services and a market share exceeding 90 per cent, the visible queues and bustling lounges validated this growth,” she stated.The shift in Indian travellers’ priorities post-pandemic also played a contributory role in this growth, added Kallat. “Travel has become a priority, with travellers wanting to spend quality time with loved ones. India’s increased travel, coupled with airport expansions and privatisation, notably by Adani in tier two and three cities, has transformed the travel experience,” she added.
Moreover, there has been a huge shift in airport lounge usage, noted Kallat, adding that the inception of the club card stemmed from this noticeable trend. She stated how families, even children, have started to view the airport lounge as a key part of the travel experience, arriving earlier to enjoy the amenities before their flights. “Leisure travellers and families now dominate the lounges, marking a shift from the business travellers predominantly using the lounges” she told ETTravelWorld.
As a prominent airport services aggregator India, DreamFolks has always been the first to introduce groundbreaking innovations, Kallat remarked, adding that technology remains the key cornerstone in their company’s growth. “Our journey, from web access to self-checking kiosks, demonstrates our commitment. The industry will witness backend innovations that end-users might not immediately notice, but we’ll continue pioneering these changes,” she added.
She further emphasised the company’s efforts in enhancing technological platforms, ensuring they remain ahead of the curve and built to last. “Over the past five years, we’ve upgraded technology to ensure long-term sustainability. Compared globally, we’re a decade ahead in building sustainable technology,” she added.
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Following improvement in the security conditions for Indian diplomats in Ottawa, the Indian government has announced the resumption of some visa services in Canada from today, however, tourist visa for Canadian citizens remain suspended until further order. The announcement came after India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s statement emphasising the need for heightened security at India’s missions in Canada, with a focus on ensuring a safe environment for visa and consular services.
Sharing the announcement in a statement on X (Formerly Twitter), the High Commission of India in Ottawa announced the resumption of visa services through its Consulates General in Toronto and Vancouver, effective October 26, 2023. This significant development comes after the temporary suspension of various visa services, reflecting a careful review of the security situation that also considered recent Canadian measures.
“After a considered review of the security situation that takes into account some recent Canadian measures in this regard, it has been decided to resume visa services for the following categories with effect from October 26. Emergency situations will continue to be addressed by the High Commission and the Consulate General as it is being done currently,” the Indian High Commission said in its statement.
The resumed visa services will include the issuance of entry visas, business visas, medical visas, and conference visas for Canadian nationals. Entry visas are granted to people of Indian origin and to those who are dependent family members of employment visa holders. However, it’s important to note that tourist and e-visa services for Canadians will remain temporarily suspended.
The hiatus in visa services, which began on September 21, had broader diplomatic implications. In response, Canada had withdrawn 41 diplomats from India last week and temporarily suspended visa and in-person consular services in specific Indian cities, namely Bengaluru, Chandigarh, and Mumbai. These services will now be exclusively available at the Canadian High Commission in Delhi.
Widespread panic among Indian travellers ensued when certain media reports suggested that Canada was suspending visa and consular services at Canadian Consulates in Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Chandigarh. However, it is crucial to note that only in-person operations are impacted, and visa applications will continue to be processed. VFS Global also said VACs across 10 cities continue to operate normally.
While the resumption of services is undoubtedly a positive development, the reduced staffing levels may lead to some processing delays. The impact could affect Indian citizens by prolonging processing times, responses to inquiries, and the issuance of visas and passports. It remains to be seen whether the number of visas issued to Indian nationals will be significantly affected due to the limited staffing capacity. Prior to the disruption caused by the diplomatic dispute, Canada was issuing approximately 15,000 visas to Indian nationals each week.
As the situation continues to evolve, travellers and applicants are encouraged to stay informed through official channels and to anticipate potential processing delays when applying for Indian visas through the reopened services. India’s decision to reinstate these visa categories is expected to facilitate essential travel and business engagements between the two nations, promoting cultural exchange and strengthening ties.
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The Delhi government has approved a scheme for a premium bus service that aims at reducing intracity usage of private vehicles and help reduce pollution, officials said on Monday. The government uploaded the draft of the Delhi Motor Vehicles Licensing of Aggregator (Premium Buses) Scheme, 2023 on its website in August and sought public feedback. The city government hopes to encourage the middle and upper-middle classes to switch to public transport through the scheme.
According to the scheme, a licence holder shall ensure that no premium bus shall be engaged or acquired with a registration date beyond three years from the date of notification of the scheme.
“Subsequently, induction of any new Premium bus, the prevailing emission norms, BS-VI must be compliant, either Air-Conditioned CNG or electric buses. After January 1, 2025 the induction of only electric buses shall be allowed, no CNG-operated bus even if having BS-VI compliance shall be allowed to be inducted under this scheme,” it said.
The scheme mandates that an aggregator shall take measures to ensure the safety and security of women passengers and provide a rapid response mechanism, including a panic button on its mobile and web-based applications that should be functional at all times and have modalities of API-based integration with law enforcement agencies for prompt redressal of complaints.
It permits dynamic pricing provided that the base fare shall not be less than the peak fare of Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) air-conditioned buses.
In 2020 the Delhi government had set an ambitious target to register five lakh new EVs within five years and achieve 25 per cent of all newly sold vehicles being electric by 2025.
The Road Transport Ministry has revealed plans to enhance vehicle and passenger safety in India through the introduction of new mandates. The proposal includes mandatory bus body certification and the installation of ‘indirect vision’ devices in buses. The Bus Body Code will require certification from government-recognized testing agencies. The ‘indirect vision’ devices, similar to Blind Spot Detection systems, will improve driver visibility and maneuvering.
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Malaysian budget carrier MYAirline abruptly suspended operations October 12, citing financial pressures less than 11 months after it took to the skies. The cancellation of the airline’s 40 flights stranded thousands of passengers. MYAirline made the announcement on social media, catching the government and many travellers by surprise. The company apologised for its “extremely painful decision” but said “significant financial pressures” forced it to suspend operations pending an ownership restructuring and recapitalization.
“We have worked tirelessly to explore various partnership and capital-raising options to prevent this suspension. Unfortunately, the constraints of time have left us with no alternative but to take this decision,” the airline’s board of directors said in a statement.
The move came just days after the airline said it was in the advanced stages of finalising a strategic partnership. Local media reported that the suspension signaled those talks might have collapsed.
Under this pricing structure, passengers booking IndiGo flights will incur a fuel charge, per sector, based on the sector distance. The decision comes after sharp increase in the Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) prices in recent months. The move is likely to prompt other airlines to follow the suit and start charging fee from passengers.
Malaysian Transport Minister Anthony Loke slammed the hasty shutdown, saying it was unacceptable and gave the country a bad name. He said the airline had sold 125,000 tickets worth some 20 million ringgit (USD 4.2 million) for flights scheduled until March 2024. “We were caught by surprise and totally shocked,” Loke said during a news conference. “They didn’t inform us. They just stopped operating with no airline staff at the airport. How can you just disappear like that? This is highly irresponsible.”
The government will ensure that ticket-holders are refunded, the minister said.
Loke said the airline has a fleet of eight planes and had intended to expand to 12 by the end of the year. He said it should have sought government help instead of ceasing operation without warning.
The Malaysian Aviation Commission will decide whether to revoke MYAirline’s air license, which expires next month, he said.
The airline, which operated flights to eight domestic destinations and Thailand’s capital, Bangkok, is owned by businessman Allan Goh Hwan Hua. Just two days ago, CEO Rayner Teo, who has a 2% stake in the carrier, stepped down, citing health reasons.
The Malaysian Aviation Commission instructed MYAirline to immediately halt sales and bookings of flights, and said refunds must be paid. It said it was investigating the airline over complaints that employees’ salaries had gone unpaid, among other issues.
MYAirline made the announcement on social media before dawn on Monday, after passengers on early flights had already checked in at the terminal. Angry travellers took to social media to criticise the carrier for the sudden announcement that left them stranded.
Malaysia Airports, which manages the country’s airports, said some 5,000 passengers were affected Thursday as 39 flights to local destinations and one to Thailand’s Don Mueang Airport were cancelled. It said it was working to help those affected and the situation was under control.
Malaysia Airlines and low-cost carrier AirAsia and Batik Air announced discounts and special fares to help MYAirline passengers affected by the suspension.
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