Brands can mean different things to different people. But successful brands escape this tentative existence with well-defined identities. In fact, the reverse is true. It is the unambiguous character of a brand that makes it successful.

Deccan was one such brand. The airline was never financially successful, but there was no doubt what brand Deccan was all about. Deccan stood for cheap air travel, period. In fact, the cheapest air travel. Even when its fares were equal or even higher than other low-cost airlines, Deccan was perceived to be the airline for the lowest end of the market. The airline that catered to small town folks and first time travellers.

It acquired this identity by declaring its ‘cheapness’ in the early period of its existence. Flights were always late, crew was ill-trained and inefficient and fares appeared to be always at a deep discount. The message seemed to be, ‘this is what you get for the price you paid, so get on with it’.

Then came the second wave of low-cost airlines, which matched or even beat Deccan on fares but offered better service. The planes were all brand new and the staff better trained. Deccan fought back and, full credit to them, it became arguably the best low-cost airline in the country. Its flights were mostly on time and connectivity was way above competition.

UB group, the new owner, first changed the brand identity a bit and took it closer to its own Kingfisher brand – positioned at the higher end – in appearance if not in service levels. Now, UB says it is killing the Deccan brand.

Airlines in this country have been struggling for the last few years and there seems to be no end in sight, despite the public bravado of airline owners. Vijay Mallya was dead certain that Kingfisher will breakeven in the first year itself. After three years, even cash breakeven is a distant dream. Future volume growth has to come from small towns and there are a few regional airlines trying to cater to that market.

Isn’t there a scope for a national airline, positioned clearly as a low-cost brand, servicing these regional markets? That is what Deccan set out to do, but the brand will be no more in a few months time. Kingfisher cannot occupy this space easily as it will dilute its premium positioning, especially when it is planning to become a luxury airline brand in the international market.

That leaves the field open for an aggressive player with deep pockets to enter. There are at least two business groups who have nurtured airline ambitions in the past. Anil Ambani, who was keen to buy Deccan, and Ratan Tata, who has built a minority stake in Spicejet after the failed joint venture attempt with Singapore Airlines. The market space being left vacant by Deccan may be a good opening for them. What are you waiting for?