Air India

[Ray Finkle]

Hopefully not too long as Toronto is expected to start in Feb.

 

[Dobbo]

Excellent news!

 

[User001]

Sorry, interpreted Users001 post as fact. We'all just have to wait and see!

Apologies, wasn't stating as fact just clarifying what was meant by 13 weekly as there was some confusion.

 

[ethanegcc]

Great news to see Air India's continued commitment to BHX, and great to get a new YYZ connection, considering the rumoured AC Rouge looks increasingly unlikely.

 

[Paulsstrange]

Does it ?

I thought Rouge was a done deal?

Both airlines are not exactly going to attract the same PAX in my view.

 

[thunderchild]

I thought Rouge was a done deal?

Both airlines are not exactly going to attract the same PAX in my view.

Finnair and Delta were also supposedly "done deals" and they never materialised.

Agree that the services would be attracting different passengers and presumably AI to YYZ would be year round as opposed to Rouge operating at peak summer.

 

[nwoody2001]

The reality, as many of us know, until a route is announced formally by the airline and airports, there is no such thing as 'in the bag' ...and even then, as we know, until the first flights land, there is always a risk....

alas, this Air India rumour is just that, a rumour! One that I think has legs and one that has been reported throughout the media, but alas, until BHX and Air India announce this, then its just a rumour!

to mirror ethanegcc's comments however, if true, its a real coup for bhx and the wider health of regional airports in the uk!

 

[thunderchild]

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com...es-a-week-from-delhitehran/article9271367.ece

Not exactly confirmation but definitely backing up what we've been hearing. Fingers crossed.

 

[JF57]

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com...es-a-week-from-delhitehran/article9271367.ece

Not exactly confirmation but definitely backing up what we've been hearing. Fingers crossed.

Not clear from the article whether these will be totally separate flights or simply extensions of some of the existing ones.

 

[IanFarquharson]

It will be as now 7 daily ATQ-DEL-BHX
Then 3 extra flights DEL-BHX-YYZ & return
So 13 BHX departures pw

 

[Coathanger16]

It will be as now 7 daily ATQ-DEL-BHX
Then 3 extra flights DEL-BHX-YYZ & return
So 13 BHX departures pw

So does that mean that on the days the Toronto service is operating there'll be 2 Air India flights? Obviously depends on the actual times of the flights, but would be interesting to see 2 Air India aircraft at Birmingham at the same time.

 

[IanFarquharson]

Yes, six days of the week there will be two departures

 

[nwoody2001]

just a case of when we get details or confirmation. Reported in indian media and on twitter for a February start so an announcement should be coming soon if Air India do with it. be interesting to see what aircraft they use and what days they fly...

inherently, as its takes 13 hours to fly direct from DEL-YYZ so up to 16 hours going via BHX with the extra distance and disembarking, rebounding,we would end up seeing 2x daily AI flights in BHX on wall but one day!!

 

[Ray Finkle]

Conformation that Air India will return to Toronto. This article says ATQ-DEL-BHX-YYZ but also mentions at least one direct flight to ATQ. The rumour is 13 weekly flights for AI so I guess we'll need to see the schedule when it is released.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation has extended the Amritsar-Delhi-Birmingham flight to Toronto, said Rajya Sabha MP Shwet Malik, who is also a member of the Aviation Consultative Committee.

He said today Sinha announced that the flight from Amritsar was being extended to Canada. Malik said he was assured that one direct international flight would also be made available to Amritsar airport after the government procured new aircraft.

Earlier, many international flights were withdrawn from the Amritsar airport. Air India had sprung a surprise by discontinuing its Amritsar-Birmingham-Toronto flight, which was termed by many as the most successful flight in the annals of the national carrier’s history. The flight, which used to witness over 90 per cent occupancy, was withdrawn on October 31, 2010.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/pu...ht-extended-to-toronto-says-malik/327559.html

 

[nwoody2001]

Great to see ...we now just need to see it announced by AI and BHX and bookable!!!

 

[Ray Finkle]

Great to see ...we now just need to see it announced by AI and BHX and bookable!!!

Well this is Air India so we'll probably end up seeing a two week lead in time

Pure speculation but if the rumour is true about 13 weekly flights into Birmingham I wonder if we may see 6x weekly ATQ-DEL-BHX-YYZ-BHX-DEL-ATQ making 12 weekly flights, with the 13th being a weekly DEL-ATQ-BHX? It fits with the rumoured number and gives Amritsar their weekly flight direct into Birmingham?

 

[Hassaan]

So it looks like we're likely to see a flight to YYZ from DEL (via BHX) soon? Remember when Air India first announced they were returning in 2013 they announced it about a month before they were to start.

 

[Ray Finkle]

One article suggested a February start but I've heard that it could well be April/May.

With Air India I wouldn't expect a huge lead in time.

 

[IanFarquharson]

I understand Toronto will be a B773

 

[nwoody2001]

Would be great to have another regular 777 on the deck again....