Air India

[GliderPilot]

Thats 100% photoshopped! Good idea but its not real

 

[Ray Finkle]

Is somebody listening?

Air India Launches UK’s Only Direct Amritsar Service

Air India and Birmingham Airport has celebrated the launch of a new twice weekly non-stop service to Amritsar.

The terminal came alive yesterday (20/2/18) with Indian drummers and dancers weaving their way through passengers who were joined by Members of Parliament, business leaders and members of the Sikh UK community.

Amritsar complements the established Delhi service from Birmingham Airport which started in August 2013. The service has carried more than 600,000 passengers in the four years it has operated using the popular Boeing 787-8 ‘Dreamliner’ aircraft.

William Pearson, Aviation Director, Birmingham Airport, commented: “We are proud to say we are offering a totally unique route, as Birmingham is the only UK airport offering a direct service to Amritsar.

“The Midlands has the second largest Asian community in the UK and so it is great news that we are making more of India accessible to our passengers for business, leisure and to visit family and friends.”

Tara Naidu, Regional Manager – UK & Europe of Air India, said: “Amritsar is an important spiritual centre for the Sikh faith being home to the Golden Temple as well as being a major commercial and cultural centre in the heart of the Punjab.

“The Sikh community has long awaited this direct route and so we are sure it will be as popular as our Delhi service from Birmingham.”

Vishwanath Panyam, Manager- Birmingham, Air India said: “The addition of Amritsar is great news for our passengers offering greater choice, flexibility and convenience.

“The celebrations for the inaugural flight yesterday were fantastic and show the amount of excitement and support for this route.”

Flights operate on Tuesdays and Thursdays, departing Birmingham at 1845 hours, reaching Amritsar early the next morning at 0745 hours. From Amritsar the flight departs at 1355 hours arriving into Birmingham at 1715 hours the same day.

A state of the art Boeing 787-8 series aircraft is serving the route with 256 seats in a split cabin, comprising 18 flat beds business class seats and 238 economy seats.

To book your seat on board please visit www.airindia.in

https://www.birminghamairport.co.uk...r&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=SocialSignIn

 

[Ianbutty]

Loving the India vibe. I think I may have said on here once before that we should focus on India rather than China. Long term India will be the next super power and if we can make BHX and the city of Indian travel to the UK and trade then it will bode well. Keep it coming and congrats for a very successful launch.

 

[Brum X]

Going off topic but as Richard has mentioned, does William Pearson not have an email address ?

Great to see Air India on the BHX website

 

[58terminus]

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

Why?

 

[nbdm]

Let's hope we can get a frequency boost to follow up the new route and restore Delhi to daily

 

[Coathanger16]

Let's hope we can get a frequency boost to follow up the new route and restore Delhi to daily

Or an upgrade to a 777 for the Delhi route?

I know it is, but the 787-8 just doesn't seem like a big aircraft to me (the -9 and -10 are more so). Now that Emirates no longer operates them, it would be good to see a few more 777s coming in.

 

[Kevin Farnell]

Why?

I can think of a couple of possible reasons.
Firstly, the person appointed probably has to work a notice period at wherever they currently are. Whilst serving a notice period, they are still under contract and this may prohibit them saying anything regarding future employment.
Secondly, BHX and the new CEO may want to make a publicity event on the day the CEO starts (as is often seen when football clubs appoint a new manager).

Kevin

 

[IanFarquharson]

I agree the 788 does now seem too small but all UK flights are now 788
LHR being 4 daily
I can see ATQ being increased soon and maybe YYZ added
I understand BHX are seeking Mumbai too

 

[Silvercity]

It is a good point there BrumX.
I see passengers with transits to many other Indian cities as well as Bangkok,Kuala Lumpur and many others.
This service has really matured in the last 2 years or so.
Air India seem to be doing a decent job.Let’s hope it continues.

This is true, I have transferred via DEL after arriving from BKK.

 

[Ray Finkle]

A video from on board the inaugural Amritsar, seems a decent load to me

https://twitter.com/ArronSingh/status/966440401044430848

 

[Ray Finkle]

I understand BHX are seeking Mumbai too

They are 'working on it'

 

[Brum X]

They are 'working on it'

Just make BHX a mini Air India hub, im sure it would work.

ATQ-BHX-YYZ

DEL-BHX-JFK

BOM-BHX-SFO

Sorted

 

[IanFarquharson]

Sunday & Monday has seen average loads of 240 pax so 95% LF
Roll on additional services and how about Mumbai ?

 

[Ray Finkle]

Sunday & Monday has seen average loads of 240 pax so 95% LF
Roll on additional services and how about Mumbai ?

At the bare minimum I hope that they are looking at 10/11 weekly, with Delhi going back to daily and an increase on Amritsar?

 

[Ianbutty]

At the bare minimum I hope that they are looking at 10/11 weekly, with Delhi going back to daily and an increase on Amritsar?

Tremendous start and why not expand? I am hoping the airport is doing the right deal. Two routes, with so much potential and 1.1 billion people to tap into.

 

[rollo]

Daily to Delhi and 2/3 a week to Amritsar with onward to Toronto looks good to me, don't know what Primera would make of that but it would make things interesting to say the least.

 

[smithy108]

Awarded by anna.aero - the words are clipped from press release so nothing new but nice to see some recognition and publicity for BHX
Some additional publicity photos of cake etc, follow link for full story

http://www.anna.aero/2018/02/28/new...ail&utm_term=0_ecdbf41674-209cbfb217-87038681


View attachment 7884

Air India introduced a new twice-weekly (Tuesdays and Thursdays) connection from Amritsar (ATQ) to Birmingham (BHX) on 20 February. Flights depart Amritsar at 13:55 arriving into Birmingham at 17:15 the same day. Return flights depart Birmingham at 18:45, reaching Amritsar early the next morning. The airline will operate 256-seat 787-8s on the 6,387-kilometre airport pair. “We are proud to say we are offering a totally unique route, as Birmingham is the only UK airport offering a direct service to Amritsar,” commented William Pearson, Aviation Director, Birmingham Airport. “The Midlands has the second largest Asian community in the UK, so it is great news that we are making more of India accessible to our passengers for business, leisure and to visit family and friends.” Tara Naidu, Regional Manager, UK & Europe, Air India, added: “Amritsar is an important spiritual centre for the Sikh faith being home to the Golden Temple as well as being a major commercial and cultural centre in the heart of the Punjab. The Sikh community has long awaited this direct route and so we are sure it will be as popular as our Delhi service from Birmingham.” India’s flag carrier has been operating between Delhi and Birmingham since 2013 and has now carried more than 600,000 passengers on the city pair.

 

[Brum X]

Growth to both India and China is the airports primary long haul focus atm

(Re: China We need a route to China first before we can grow it, LOL)

 

[Ray Finkle]

An interview with The Regional Head of UK-Europe of Air India.

Flights are going full including business

https://twitter.com/IndiaToday/status/969228702750945280