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Jet Privilege Rebrands As ‘InterMiles’, Even As Jet Airways Insolvency Process Continues

When asked about the impact of Jet Airways insolvency on Jet Privilege, MD Manish Dureja said “we are not impacted (by it).”

A Jet Airways ircraft sits on the tarmac at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai, India. (Photographer: Dhiraj Singh/Bloomberg)
A Jet Airways ircraft sits on the tarmac at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai, India. (Photographer: Dhiraj Singh/Bloomberg)

Jet Privilege Pvt. Ltd. has rebranded itself as ‘InterMiles’, six months after stakeholder Jet Airways (India) Ltd. was admitted to India’s bankruptcy courts for insolvency.

Carved out as a separate entity from the now-grounded airline more than five years ago, the loyalty and rewards programme has close to 10 million members.

"InterMiles will encompass both the award-winning loyalty and rewards programme (previously, Jet Privilege) and the ubiquitous rewards and recognition currency (previously, JPMiles)," the company said in a release.

Jet Privilege, part of Etihad Aviation Group which holds 50.1 percent stake, said it offers the members the opportunity to earn and redeem 'InterMiles' across more than 10 categories and over 150 programme partners.

Jet Airways still holds 49.9 percent shareholding in the company. The full service airline shuttered operations in April after running out of cash.

Jet Privilege’s Managing Director Manish Dureja said there is only a brand change and new benefits and features will be part of the programme.

"For us, we have to run the business and grow the business. As part of our strategy, we have decided to do it under a different brand. It is basically extending the strategy in the last five years of going forward," he said.

When asked about the impact of Jet Airways insolvency, Dureja said "we are not impacted (by it).”

Amid Jet Airways' financial troubles before the eventual grounding, Jet Privilege remained a profitable venture. The company's profit after tax rose to Rs 129.82 crore last year from Rs 121.64 crore in 2017, according to a document issued for Jet Airways bidders under the insolvency process.

On whether Jet Privilege is looking for an airline partner, Dureja said it continuously evaluates partnerships and that the company is also well-funded.

In July, he had said that the loyalty programme was on an accelerated growth path to build a robust vertical-agnostic, multi-brand customer engagement platform.

The company has about 135 employees.