Am I correct in pointing out that Air India operated flights with company B707 in the 1970/80s period and 2013 was a resumption of services? Yes, I am a pedantic sod!

They also had a spell between 2005-2008 running Delhi/Amritsar/Birmingham/Toronto on the 777-200. The route was apparently quite popular and profitable but they switched it to Heathrow to keep their slots. It didn’t last long and was axed altogether.
 
Air India Resumes six DIRECT weekly services to india from birmingham airport
14283

Air India has resumed its six weekly direct flight schedule to Delhi and Amritsar today (15/8/19) from Birmingham Airport, following a short period of reduced frequencies due to airspace restrictions out of the airline’s control. The reestablished schedule commences on Indian Independence Day.

Direct services are available three times weekly to Delhi and onwards to Amritsar each Monday, Wednesday and Sunday, and three times weekly to Amritsar and onwards to Delhi each Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. The flights are operated by Air India’s Boeing 787 ‘Dreamliner’, with 18 seats in the business class cabin and 238 in economy, and customers have access to a further 42 onward destination across the Indian-subcontinent via the airline’s Delhi hub.

Air India first began operating from Birmingham Airport in 2013, with direct flights to Delhi. The airline expanded its Birmingham operation in 2018 with non-stop services to Amritsar, serving the Midlands’ strong demand for friends and relatives wanting direct access to the Punjab. Over this six-year period, some 750,000 passengers have used Air India services, and with the resumption of this six weekly schedule, there are 3,000 seats available between India and Birmingham each week on the non-stop flights.

Dr Aman Puri the Consul General of India, Birmingham commented: “The Midlands has emerged as an area of robust growth in the UK, and Birmingham is a city which is equipped with vast opportunities in both commerce and economic areas. To have direct flights operating out of Birmingham for the British-Indian community is just great and is a further step towards the UK and India collaborating to strengthen our trade and investment relationship further.”

Andy Street, West Midlands Mayor, said: “With our region home to around 200,000 people of Indian heritage and India being one of the biggest investors in the West Midlands, the direct routes from Birmingham Airport to Delhi and Amritsar are absolutely crucial. These routes allow us to both continue to build the already strong business relationship whilst also serving the needs of the Indian diaspora."

Mr Debashis Golder, Regional Manager, Europe and UK for Air India, said: “The resumption of flights, coincides with India’s Independence Day making today a special day for multiple reasons. Air India is committed to not only support the region’s Indian diaspora, but also the need for direct connectivity for business travel in our business class product. Not only do we serve Delhi and Amritsar direct from Birmingham, Midlanders also have access 42 onward destination across the Indian-subcontinent via our hub in Delhi, including Mumbai, Chennai and Bengaluru.”

Nick Barton, CEO of Birmingham Airport said: “Air India provides the vital connectivity for business and leisure travellers needing direct access to two of India’s most important cultural cities. There is a strong demand in the Midlands to Delhi and Amritsar, particularly for those travelling to visit family and friends in the Punjab region which is why Air India’s Birmingham operation has grown from strength to strength. We’re therefore delighted that the full schedule has resumed today, on India Independence Day.”

For more information, and to book flights to either Delhi or Amritsar visit: http://www.airindia.in/
 
Great to see it back.

I'll be happy when the Friday flight becomes bookable again although AI do seem to leave things quite late.
 
Welcome Back Amritsar sorry for the late reply was on Wedding mode for the last couple of weeks. No time to get Air India to start ground work for operation Kolkata & Mumbai (Bollywood) to Birmingham now.
 
Looks as the Indian airlines are most likely to face airspace closure again. Decision expected in the next 48 hours.
Tweeted earlier today.


Ch Fawad Hussain

PM is considering a complete closure of Air Space to India, a complete ban on use of Pakistan Land routes for Indian trade to Afghanistan was also suggested in cabinet meeting,legal formalities for these decisions are under consideration...
 
Spicejet are looking at a possible bid for Air India as a quick way to get some widebodied aircraft.

Whoever takes over Air India is likely to rebrand it. Their situation is pretty dire, so I dread to think what could happen if nobody buys them,
 
I don't suppose Virgin starting to fly to Delhi from an unmentionable other airport will help Air India with the Birmingham flight load factors. Shame.
 
When it comes to load factors Air India are one airline that currently need no help at all. They have been great in recent weeks.

Nah but it might actually make them expand there BHX service. Air India has some very loyal customer's here in the midlands and competition is good for business.

Given the cuts other cities have seen I think we've done well to keep what we have.

That said a reinstatement of the Friday flight and a 3x weekly BOM wouldn't go amiss :)
 
I don't suppose Virgin starting to fly to Delhi from an unmentionable other airport will help Air India with the Birmingham flight load factors. Shame.
I hope AI113/114 goes back to daily soon it’s convenient for connections to most parts of India and the rest of Asia that Amritsar isn’t connected to. For me flying AI117/118 isn’t convenient to fly Amritsar then waiting to fly to Delhi then Delhi to Kolkata isn’t ideal and it’s way too long. I hope the News of Virgin to Delhi direct from Airport that shall not be named should help TBH Air India boost AI113/114 again but let’s see what the future holds. Being honest that news took me by surprise as I wasn’t expecting it but I suppose unnamed airport did lose the only India route after a couple of months of operating.
 
When it comes to load factors Air India are one airline that currently need no help at all. They have been great in recent weeks.



Given the cuts other cities have seen I think we've done well to keep what we have.

That said a reinstatement of the Friday flight and a 3x weekly BOM wouldn't go amiss :)
I remember Andy Street coming to our temple back during our Hindu Bengali festival known as Kali Pujo (usually the same day or day before Diwali) this was on 29th October and he made an speech about India and the West Midlands. He said they are in talks with multiple airlines to start a Mumbai to Birmingham route but and should be up and running in the next few years or so. He also said there are negotiations to also try and start for us Indian Bengalis a Kolkata route as well as a Bangalore route but they will take a longer time to start as the main route Birmingham is eyeing up is Mumbai and Birmingham need a Mumbai route desperately. Birmingham we maybe one step closer to Bollywood than we think ;).
 
I don't suppose Virgin starting to fly to Delhi from an unmentionable other airport will help Air India with the Birmingham flight load factors. Shame.

Well it certainly puts the proverbial cat amongst the pigeons. Everyone in the midlands is suddenly going to traipse up the M6 because Virgin have announced a flight? Personally I don't think so, there is enough of an Indian catchment in Birmingham and its surrounding areas for Air India to be successful.

I'm more concerned with them wrecking FlyBe and turning it into a 'north' and 'London airport' shuttle service.
 
I don't suppose Virgin starting to fly to Delhi from an unmentionable other airport will help Air India with the Birmingham flight load factors. Shame.

At least it’s Virgin starting Delhi. With Air India opening STN I wouldn’t have been at all surprised to see MAG trying to lure them up the M6 too.
 
At least it’s Virgin starting Delhi. With Air India opening STN I wouldn’t have been at all surprised to see MAG trying to lure them up the M6 too.
I don't see why they couldn't operate both. I'm sure that there would be the demand.
 

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