Spicejet Flexifly - option-based flying

I hadn't noticed this even though I was looking through SG's page yesterday for a booking. So, thanks to Live from a Lounge for bringing this to my attention. So, SpiceJet has now launched Flexifly - tagged as "Now enjoy flying on your own terms with our new exclusive features" - by partnering with OptionTown. Now, for those who are new to this, OptionTown is a bargain travel service, which provides unique (if sometimes, strange) travel options and deals in partnership with airline and travel organisations.

The Flexifly feature has four options, and a user can select one or more. Essentially, you pay (up front) a signup fee per option that you want to pick (per flight, per pax, mind you), and an additional fee for the option itself. If you do get the option, then that's that. However, if you don't, then the amount of additional fee for the option (not the sign-up fees) is refunded. The options with SG, as advertised on their website, and my views on each of these (in [ ]) are:

Multiple Booking Option
Now undecided schedules won’t mean missing a flight. Opt for FlexiFly -Multiple Booking Option after buying your ticket on SpiceJet.com and hold confirmed availability on one or more flights, at a nominal price. Simple choose the flight you want to fly on up to 24 hours before departure.

[The Indian aviation market isn't exactly meant for open ended travel plans. Most are business travelers, who don't need this option. A majority of the non-business travel is looking at cheaper fares, and a good number would likely have firmed up their plans (including accommodation, mind you) well in advance. So personally, I don't find this of much benefit to the Indian travel market. Having said that, SpiceJet may well be able to leverage upon this option for tourism travel for overseas tourists arriving in India without set plans.]

Empty Seat Option
Experience the benefit of privacy while flying SpiceJet. After booking your ticket on SpiceJet.com, just opt for FlexiFly- Empty Seat Option to book empty seats adjacent to you, at a nominal price. You will receive a confirmation of your extra seats up to 24 hours before departure.

[Good but not great. As is the case with LCCs, most SG flights are fairly full, and it is rare you'll find an entire row of empties. Even when flights aren't all that full, middle seats are the ones that are empty. Try explaining to the pax on the aisle seat, that you paid for the middle one and are going to use it!]

Preferred Flight Option
Couldn't get a ticket on the flight of your choice? Enjoy the flexibility to move from your current flight to your preferred flight on SpiceJet, at a nominal price. Choose FlexiFly -Preferred Flight Option, and if there is availability on the flight of your choice, you will be the first to know of it up to 24 hours before departure.

[This seems a lot like priority waitlist option that airline FFPs have for their elites, with just a little bit of difference. But yes, I'd value this option more than the others.]

Flexibility Reward Option
If you are flexible with your travel schedule, opt for FlexiFly - Flexibility Reward Option and let us know alternate flight, date and time you are comfortable traveling. In case we shift you to your chosen alternate option, you could earn rewards, and be notified of the change up to 24 hours before departure.

[Basically, get bumped off a flight, and get rewarded. Good if you've got nothing else to do but hang around at the airport, hoping some sort of travel plan will take off (pun unintended). But really, how many actually do have that kind of flexibility? Also, this isn't one of those cases where you'd otherwise fly, but are OK to get bumped. Here, you need to pay first in order to be privileged to get bumped off a flight, though you do get paid back / rewarded in the end - twisted logic!]

There are also specific instructions on each of these, at their landing page, here. However, I'm not yet sure what the pricing is for each of these options.

Conclusion

In all, I'm a bit confused. Most of these are reasonably good offers at a concept level. However, I'm not sure if SG has considered the market, and its own pax profile in particular. My bet is that SG isn't going to get much out of these offers. Also, the last time an Indian airline used OptionTown, it was KF with their upgrades to business class. I'm not saying more...

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