Air India

[Brum X]

Totally agree Brum X. Great to see an airline selling the UK, well England, via Brum!

And of course Birmingham's famous iconic Selfridges Building gets the biggest spot on that Advert, only fair as you are flying into that city.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Overwhelming response

Air India‏Verified account @airindiain 2h2 hours ago
#FlyAI : Countdown has begun. On soaring demand #AirIndia launching only #nonstop #FLIGHT to #birminghamcity from #Amritsar on 20th #February. Overwhelming response #doubled our #Excitement ! #बल्लेबल्लेबर्मिंघम @bhx_official @PreetKGillMP @BHX_Ambassador @amritsarairport

 

[IanFarquharson]

Surely we will see more 7 pw in the not too distant futue or an upgrade ?

 

[Ray Finkle]

In the future I'd hope for Delhi switching to a 777 or keeping the 787 but going 10/11 weekly?

They'll have no problem selling the seats to Amritsar it's just whether they can get the yields.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Air India are tweeting 24 hours to go

Amritsar Airport also look to be quite excited, Twitter conversation below

Preet Kaur Gill MP‏Verified account @PreetKGillMP
Preet Kaur Gill MP Retweeted Air India

Really looking forward to tomorrow’s inauguration after years of campaigning. Thank you @airindiain @bhx_official @BHX_Ambassador @amritsarairport


Shri Guru Ram Dass Ji International Airport‏ @amritsarairport 3h3 hours ago
Shri Guru Ram Dass Ji International Airport Retweeted Preet Kaur Gill MP

It’s really hard for us and our staff to wait for the inauguration ceremony!


Shri Guru Ram Dass Ji International Airport‏ @amritsarairport 3h3 hours ago
Everyone Stay tuned for tomorrow inaugural flight from @amritsarairport to @bhx_official direct operating by @airindiain @AAI_Official @TanDhesi @BHX_Ambassador

 

[Ray Finkle]

I'm not sure if this is just the hopes of an MP or based on anything concrete?

MP Malik said, “Depending on the success, the flight will later be rescheduled on daily basis and will be extended to Toronto, Canada.”

http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/amritsar/birmingham-flight-starts-tomorrow/546119.html

 

[Ray Finkle]

Air India and Amritsar Airport have pretty much been doing an hour by hour countdown.

Amritsar Airport for the first flight, pictures from their Twitter.

 

[nbdm]

AI117 currently over Peak District, is there much media waiting at BHX for the landing?
Could it possibly be on midlands today this evening? I know they have done that in the past for inaugural flights.
Almost looked like they were landing at Manchester until they started heading south!

View attachment 7595

 

[Ray Finkle]

Not sure about BHX but these were the scenes in Amritsar.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Apologies, I don't know how to display Twitter videos so I've just added the links.

Quite the celebration

Amritsar

https://twitter.com/amritsarairport/status/965874476742144000

And from BHX

https://twitter.com/BHX_Ambassador/status/965973214672416768

The Amritsar Airport Twitter has plenty more updates and an almost minute by minute flight update.

 

[jfy1999]

How was the pax load after all that furore?

 

[IanFarquharson]

Fab job by Air India all over the Web and social media
I can this route doing really well and splitting from Delhi
Maybe a Mumbai and Toronto to follow ?

 

[Brum X]

A good positive news story for Air India and BHX

 

[Ray Finkle]

How was the pax load after all that furore?

No exact numbers but one article said 'heavily booked' and another 'sold out'.

 

[Ianbutty]

A significant moment and true faith by Air India in the city. Mumbai next?

 

[smithy108]

We should expect to see a press release on the official airport site celebrating this event within the next day or so. I hope this is not yet another missed opportunity to celebrate positive news.
We have dropped back into scarce new stories again this month, only 1 published in February, the launch of Wrapchic retail unit ! This is poor PR and communications. Somebody needs a kick if they are managing this area of the business. Shows a lack of focus.

 

[richard winterbourn]

As much as this shows a lack of focus it displays, to me, an even greater lack of direction within the airport management structure at BHX. Missing out on opportunities to laud the airport's successes in what we all know is a highly competitive market borders on the criminal.

Getting the direction back on track must surely be the prime objective of a new CEO when he/she is appointed. And the sooner that appointment is made, the better.

Down here in rural Herefordshire i have no personal contact with any senior management within the constituent authorities that control the airport. But for those F4A members closer to the action, is there no-one who can discretely find out what is going on. And by that i mean A) has an appointment been made and for contractual reasons cannot be announced just yet; B) has no appointment being made yet and, more worryingly, C) has the management structure of the airport changed to the degree that no new CEO will be made.

I just hope it is not C....

 

[IanFarquharson]

There is a new CEO as I understand but not made public yet

 

[Ray Finkle]

We should expect to see a press release on the official airport site celebrating this event within the next day or so. I hope this is not yet another missed opportunity to celebrate positive news.

Very disappointing that such a great and positive story hasn't even made the website yet, would it not make more sense to release a statement whilst interest is still high rather than a few days later? From what I can see the extent of the airport's publicity doesn't really seem to stretch beyond retweets?

At least we're well up to date with the latest eye shadow available in World Duty Free


In other news there's a cracking shot on Twitter by Jai Sansai.

https://twitter.com/jassansi

Full credit to the taker.

 

[jfy1999]

Looks photoshopped to me...