As the number of air operators offering air transportation services increases and consumer choices widen, it becomes imperative that consumers make an informed selection of airline.

So what should one look for while choosing an airline? I would put safety first and foremost in that list. And in order to determine the safety of an air service, one should look at four factors: (1) the age and type of aircraft that the airline has pressed into service, (2) the quality and frequency of servicing of the aircraft ? who does it and how well, (3) the experience and the training of the pilot that it employs, and 4) its safety track record.

The pilot’s qualifications become particularly important during the monsoon and winter months. The airport, for example, may provide the best landing facilities in winter, but is the pilot qualified to make use of them? Does he or she have the training and experience? Is the aircraft fitted with state-of-the art navigational facilities? If you go to the websites of airlines, you will get answers to some questions.

Next is the fare. Here consumers have a wide choice, but while comparing prices, compare the cancellation and rescheduling policies too. Air Deccan, for example, charges a rescheduling fee of Rs 200 for any change that you may make in the ticket. And if you cancel the ticket closer to the date of departure ( less than 24 hours, but more than an hour), you also lose 50 per cent of the basic fare, besides the transaction fee.

Similarly, with some of the discounted tickets of regular airlines, either you cannot change your date of travel at all or if you cancel the ticket, you lose most of what you have paid towards it. With Indian Airlines ‘Select Fare’, which is a discounted ticket, you can change your date of travel, but you will be charged Rs 500 towards re-scheduling your ticket. So you need to take into account all these factors.

Punctuality is another important criterion while choosing the airline. And consumers should demand that airlines put out on their websites every month, the punctuality of their services.

If you are a light traveller, then the baggage allowance does not matter, otherwise, that is also another criterion, particularly if you have heavy baggage. While Indian Airlines allows 30kgs per person (economy), the private airlines Sahara and Jet allow only 20 kgs (economy ) and Air Deccan, 15 kgs.

So spend some time looking at these factors and choose the right airline.