In 2008, who was the toughest competitor to British Airways for international flights in India ?

Singapore Airlines? Indian Airlines? Maybe, but there is a more interesting answer: The video conferencing services of Hewlett-Packard and Cisco. Senior information technology executives in India and abroad were compelled by their headquarters to use videoconferencing to keep travel costs in check. Of course, there could be a rebound in travel. But to think that the airlines will be back to their previous business post-recession is something I would not bet on. In the short term, yes. In the long term, it is a resounding no. Remember, if there is one place where Newton 's law of gravity is applicable besides physics it is in electronic hardware, where prices consistently fall. Between 1977 and 1991, prices of the now-dead VCR crashed to one third of their original levels in India . PC prices also dropped. If this trend repeats itself, then videoconferencing prices will also crash. Imagine the fate of airlines then.

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