Air India

[Hassaan13]

There has been a couple of discussions relating to Air India introducing DEL-MAN daily and DEL-BHX 3 weekly.

Good news, and it should be announced soon.

The bad news is that why does BHX get a 3 weekly service and MAN gets a daily service, when there are more Indians living in Birmingham? I hope the BHX service does better than the MAN service.

 

[User0001]

Hi Hassan

MAN got daily due to the fact there is actually more demand for MAN-DEL than BHX-DEL, whereas the BHX demand is to ATQ. MAN actually has the 2nd highest unserved demand from DEL. Read this from DEL airport themselves:

''Annual O&D between New Delhi and Manchester is 54,000 passengers. Currently no non-stop flights operate between Manchester and New Delhi. Third biggest O&D market in the UK and one of the largest un-served in Europe''

The reason MAN also got daily is because both DEL and MAN are subsidising the route, whereas BHX-DEL is only being subsidised by BHX.

Hope that explains things for you.

 

[Hassaan13]

Though many people in the Midlands would use the service to connect to ATQ, so it would do well here.

What equipment would they be using for the service? For MAN, a B747 or 773 possibly, and possibly 772LR or 773 or even A332 for BHX.

 

[User0001]

At MAN, AI will be using a B77L for 3 days a week and B773 4 days a week.
At BHX, its thought a 3 weekly A332 will be used.

Obviuosly, until its published, its not confirmed.

 

[Hassaan13]

Why would they use an A332 at BHX when a 772LR or 773 can easily handle the runway, even though a pay load restriction would be needed. I mean, the population if Indians, both for DEL, ATQ and other cities is higher than Manchester in B'ham from what i've heard.

But we'll wait until the info is published for confirmation.

 

[User0001]

Why would they use an A332 at BHX when a 772LR or 773 can easily handle the runway, even though a pay load restriction would be needed

With regards to the A332 vs B777, you answered your own question, which I have highlighted in bold. Why would an airline use equipment that cant handle the route in place of an aircraft that can handle the route?

mean, the population if Indians, both for DEL, ATQ and other cities is higher than Manchester in B'ham from what i've heard

Hassan, Im sorry but you are going round and round in circles here. Please can you listen to what is being said. Yes, the population is higher for ATQ, but not DEL, where the route is originating.
Please read the quote from DEL airport themselves, I will post it again:

''Annual O&D between New Delhi and Manchester is 54,000 passengers. Currently no non-stop flights operate between Manchester and New Delhi. Third biggest O&D market in the UK and one of the largest un-served in Europe''

I have highlighted the clear, precise points in bold. It is there in black and white, quite literally.

Also, with both MAN and DEL offering incentives, versus a minor one from BHX, its obvious where AI is going to dump most of its new capacity.

 

[User0001]

a bit more info from a.net.

DEL-MAN will be up and running in August, DEL-BHX end of october.

 

[Hassaan13]

End of October's quite a while to go.

Probably no chance of an A332 on the BHX route, that aircraft isn't operated into the UK any more, a 772LR I'd hope for. Has it actually been confirmed yet? All I heard in the news was a hope that AI would return to BHX this year, nothing about MAN.

 

[User0001]

Hassan,

They are swapping a current A332 route for a B777, and then the A330 will operate to BHX.

Its being confirmed this month, and I know it is leaving a bitter taste in your mouth that MAN is getting more service, but, unfortunatly for BHX, MAN offered a better deal for flights.

 

[Hassaan13]

It's a shame because a while back, I heard the BHX AI routes were more profitable that the LHR routes, and it's a shame it's going back to three weekly like it started, not 6 weekly or even daily. I would have thought there is more demand than an A332 but hopefully they'll upgrade it in a matter of time if the route does well.

 

[User0001]

Welcome to the world of polotics Hassan, you have a lot to learn on this subject. One day you too will be utterly bamboozled by decisions made by governments, and then you can see why us 'elders' get fed up by it!

BHX was dropped by AI in favour of protecting the route to a major airport, in this case, LHR. Nothing to do with yields/loads, purely to be seen in the capital.

Biman Bangladesh are the same, they are about to resume DAC-JFK, purely to be seen in JFK, even though the route was a major loss maker.
MAN is put on the DAC-JFK route to help stem the losses, and also for the extra security checks.

I suppose the same could be said for the PIA routes to LHR. Its known MAN, and even to some extent, even BHX make more money than LHR.

Its just the way it works in the subcontinent

 

[Seasider]

Hassaan13. You have been given some very sensible advice by pug and world_rep, I suggest you channel your obvious enthusiam down those routes (pardon the pun).

 

[Ray Finkle]

Air India are to start a second stop in the UK. BHX had a deal signed last year but we all know what happened with that I think with them it's best to expect the unexpected.

The return to flying operation and the arrival of additional aircraft will enable the Indian flag carrier to look to new markets, explained Brara, as well as operating to existing points in the network on a more efficient basis. “We are looking to add new flights to a number of new markets in the coming years. These include destinations in Australia, Italy, the US and a second stop in the UK,” he revealed

http://www.routesonline.com/news/29/bre ... rk-growth/

 

[Aviador]

Birmingham does seem like the obvious destination, in fact in the UK doesn't Birmingham have the largest Indian population outside of London?

 

[Ray Finkle]

It does, especially from the north of India which makes Amritsar such a popular destination, although Delhi does well too. There are also Coventry and Leicester in the region which both have sizable populations.

 

[Ray Finkle]

It seems Air India may be trying to get a head start over Jet Airways possible Etihad codeshares. Only newspaper talk but hopefully there is something of substance behind it.

Air India plans to connect New Delhi with international routes this year

NEW DELHI: Air India, India's national airline, is keen to open new destinations to Indian fliers this year as it prepares to face renewed competition from rival Jet Airways' international ambitions, especially in the backdrop of an impending deal with Etihad Airways.

Air India plans to connect New Delhi to new international cities like Birmingham, Moscow, Rome, Milan, Melbourne and Sydney this year, arguing that if new destinations are not opened up, Indian traffic would get funneled to Abu Dhabi or Dubai airports for onward connections.

Full article

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/busi ... 488800.cms

 

[Aviador]

Hi Ray!

Well the very fact Birmingham is being talked about suggests there is some movement on the matter. There's no smoke without fire as they say.

The report does have a very valid point though about passengers potentially re-routing via Abu Dhabi and Dubai if new links aren't established soon.

 

[User0001]

The report does have a very valid point though about passengers potentially re-routing via Abu Dhabi and Dubai if new links aren't established soon.

The 'rush' shown by Air India is because Jet Airways is about to be given the rights to serve various points to Europe and the USA through AUH, all to start from next year.

Its interesting as one of Jet Airways routes will be Manchester (press release last week), so both major Indian carriers have pinned their flags to UK regional airports.

 

[CL44]

I think AI will need to make sure of starting up the route back into BHX on the hurry up. EK have carved most of the market up via DXB (there are exceptions namely Amritsar) due to the amount of connections they offer ex DXB. One thing that the Indian Government have ensured is the EK cannot push their 380's into India so they are limited to using the 773 as the biggest aircraft on these routes. This would appear to be protectionism at it's worst. EK are not the only carrier to have hit this block with the 380 (LH / AF etc) are also blocked from using the aircraft into India. I must say it will be good to have AI back into BHX (still remember their 707 route via Moscow way back when).

 

[Luke 77]

Does this firm it up slightly?? Or am I misinterpreting it.

http://www.airindia.com/SBCMS/Webpages/ ... px?MID=28#