Air India

[Ray Finkle]

Three of the four weekly flights to Delhi will now continue on to Amritsar on the 787.

Air India Adds Boeing 787 Service on Delhi – Amritsar from August 2013

Update at 0520GMT 16JUL13

Air India from 01AUG13 begins Boeing 787 operation Delhi – Amritsar route, where 8 of 21 weekly service to be operated by the Dreamliner. Schedule as follow.

AI461 DEL0805 – 0915ATQ 788 x357
AI114 DEL1205 – 1315ATQ 788 x146

AI113 ATQ1030 – 1145DEL 788 x357
AI462 ATQ1415 – 1525DEL 788 x146

http://airlineroute.net/2013/07/16/ai-atq-aug13/

 

[Ray Finkle]

Stand 42C has now been marked up for the 787, the 2 APUs required for this type have also been wired in this week and it will be Air India's primary stand. 57C is back up and will be used if 42C is unavailable. Only one week to go.

 

[Ray Finkle]

An article on Air India's launch party at the ICC. The first flight is sold out, although I imagine there will be a large contingent of AI brass, politicians etc... taking up a chunk of seats, but it's positive to hear forward loads look good.

I hope Mr Kehoe has the drummers booked for next Thursday

Air India Birmingham route launch party

After nearly a five-year break in services by the Indian national carrier, Birmingham Airport will again welcome Air India back to the UK Midlands for the third time on 1 August, having previously operated in the 1980s, as well as between 2005 and 2008. This time, the airline’s flagship 787 aircraft will be deployed on the four weekly services to Delhi and Amritsar – in the past the airline has used 707s and more recently 777-200s. Significant for the city and its large Indian community, the service return was celebrated with a well-attended bash in downtown Birmingham last week.

Over 200 guests, including airline and airport staff, local community and business leaders, travel agents and media, were treated to either a Bombay Dream (alcoholic cocktail) or Amritsar Special (non-alcoholic cocktail) on arrival at Birmingham’s International Convention Centre (All images courtesy of Jas Sansi Photography).

Birmingham’s business and Indian communities joined forces to convince Air India to return to the city after a five-year hiatus, by delivering a petition signed by 28,000 individuals to the airline and relevant Indian Government Ministers.

Birmingham Airport CEO, Paul Kehoe, talked about his five-year mission to get Air India back to Birmingham, after the airline had cancelled flights to the UK Midlands in the days prior to his arrival at the airport in October 2008.

The food looked great (pictured are the Aloo Vermicelli balls) and tasted even better – anna.aero’s editor enjoyed the Lamb Rara curry so much – he had two (they were only little).

“The first flight is already sold-out, and forward loads are looking good,” stated Kailash Kumar Singh, Air India’s Regional Manager UK/Ireland & Europe. Not surprising really given the pent-up demand for direct services to India from Birmingham.

Don’t try using this as a boarding pass. A prize-draw was held during the event, with Nicola Clements, Corporate Fundraising Officer for the Royal Shakespeare Company, winning two tickets to Delhi or Amritsar – the Indian destinations that the four-weekly 787 operation will service from Birmingham.

Lots of pictures on the link below.

http://www.anna.aero/2013/07/24/air-ind ... 8-86869353

 

[Hassaan]

Nice to hear. I was just thinking, do you think they may even send a 777 into BHX on a few occasions?

 

[kebabselector]

Depends if the 787 has caught fire

 

[Ray Finkle]

Nice to hear. I was just thinking, do you think they may even send a 777 into BHX on a few occasions?

I wouldn't have thought so, if the flight does well I'd imagine an increase to daily would come before a 777.

 

[yorkshire]

You would have thought a city size of Leeds and Bradford would have a service to India as well?

 

[Brum X]

You would have thought a city size of Leeds and Bradford would have a service to India as well?

You could say the same for Manchester and Glasgow, however Birmingham and its airport have worked hard over many months and years to get this flight re-instated, we aint gonna let a city like Leeds take it from us , LOL

 

[Ray Finkle]

You would have thought a city size of Leeds and Bradford would have a service to India as well?

I know there is a significant Pakistani community but out of interest what is the Indian population like around Leeds and Bradford and Yorkshire as a whole?

 

[Hassaan]

Just three days to go, and then four days of the week BHX becomes spotters paradise :s_tongue

But seriously, hope it does well and that it pays off for BHX this time round.

 

[Ray Finkle]

"Strong possibility" that the flight will become daily or more destinations added.

Air India to extend Delhi route to Amritsar

The extension of the route to the Punjab city is in response to public demand and was announced earlier than had been anticipated.

Air India has announced its new service between Birmingham and Delhi will fly on to Amritsar.

The extension of the route to the Punjab city is in response to public demand and was announced earlier than had been anticipated.

Kailash Singh, the airline’s regional manager UK, Ireland and Europe, revealed it was on the airline’s agenda when the new service was announced recently at Birmingham Airport. The announcement of the route extension was made at a civic celebration to mark the re-introduction of the Birmingham to Delhi route, which ceased in 2008.

Speaking at the reception, held at the ICC, Birmingham Airport’s CEO Paul Kehoe said: “It took us five years to get the route back and just two days to get it extended to Amritsar.” Mr Kehoe added that it was now up to the people of the West Midlands to support the flight.

Mr Singh added there was “a strong possibility” of it becoming a daily service or additional routes being added.

The service was re-introduced after a petition signed by more than 28,00 people called for its return.

The extension to Amritsar will prove popular with the Midlands’ Sikh community. Amritsar is the spiritual centre of the Sikh religion and home to Harmandir Sahib or the Golden Temple, which attracts more visitors each year than the Taj Mahal.

Flights to Delhi will depart four times a week, with Air India using the new Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, from August 1.

Mr Singh added that the inaugural flight was now sold out.

http://www.birminghampost.co.uk/incomin ... hi-5346973

 

[Brum X]

Here we go guys, Birmingham is listed at Delhi Airport this evening



AI 143 Paris 13:15
01/08/13
T3 On Time 13:15
01/08/13

AI 121 Frankfurt 13:20
01/08/13
T3 On Time 13:20
01/08/13
SV 761 Jeddah 13:30
01/08/13
T3 On Time 13:30
01/08/13

AI 113 Birmingham 13:30
01/08/13
T3 On Time 13:30
01/08/13
9W 262 Kathmandu 13:35
01/08/13
T3 On Time 13:35
01/08/13

AI 332 Bangkok 13:40
01/08/13
T3 On Time 13:40
01/08/13

 

[Hassaan]

It's on it's way to BHX

 

[Aviador]

It's on it's way to BHX

:drinks:

 

[LBA787]

She's down VT-AND!! Congratulations BHX enjoy the beautiful AI 787!

:drinks:

:crazy:

 

[Hassaan]

Touchdown! I caught the approach from my window - I hope to see some close-up images soon.

A proud day for BHX - Air India, Emirates and PIA all around the International Pier.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Just for you Hassan :good:

Lots of people gathered, I think I may have spotted Kebabselector on the left?



Here she is poking above the trees



Short finals

 

[Aviador]

Great pictures Ray.

 

[Hassaan]

Great images there - nice to see there's a bit of a crowd there.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Quite a few people were there to see it then I think quite a few more were passing through and stopped to see what all the fuss was about, one lady asked me if they were filming a TV programme

A nice video of the arrival.

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDTVN9mEllQ&feature=player_embedded[/video]