United777 From United States of America, joined May 1999, 1648 posts, RR: 1 Posted (10 years 3 months 1 week 4 days 20 hours ago) and read 2362 times:
Air India is planning new flights to new destinations including Los Angeles, Toronto, Manchester, Sydney and Mauritius according to a new article in the Economic Times in India and Syed Shahnawaz Hussain. I don't know if they will start flights to these new destinations after they receive there new 777-200ER's or A340-300's. That would be great to see AI in Los Angeles. If AI is planning to fly to Toronto I think they should fly to YVR first since Canada's biggest Indian community is in Vancouver. Either way I am sure flights to the west coast of North America are still around three years away.
N79969 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 1, posted (10 years 3 months 1 week 4 days 19 hours ago) and read 2339 times:
Why haven't they merged Air India and Indian Airlines in the past? They could have cut overhead by eliminating one group of managers, build a single, integrated network, and possibly improve feed to both international and domestic networks.
Indianguy From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 3, posted (10 years 3 months 1 week 4 days 14 hours ago) and read 2252 times:
The proposal to merge the 2 carriers had gone quite far ahead but was shot down on 2 counts:
One was the opposition from trade unions within AI who wanted to retain their "superior" status.
But the more important reason was the intense lobbying of one private airline which would have lost out if the merger went ahead. This private airline is pretty well connected witht the powers that be and the proposal was shot down by Mr.Ananth Kumar, the then minister.
I agree that a merged airline, operating aircarft ranging from 747-400's al the way down to Dornier 228's (of CD). Wow!
B747-437B From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 4, posted (10 years 3 months 1 week 4 days 13 hours ago) and read 2224 times:
One was the opposition from trade unions within AI who wanted to retain their "superior" status.
"Superior" status???
AI and IC staff both make the same government mandated scales for base pay. The only difference is the allowances payable to each, which obviously need to be different. You can't expect someone to live off the same Rs.500/day allowance in New York as they do in Guwahati or Indore.
The union issue with a merged airline was simply enough seniority integration. AI's multi-cadre seniority system with different lists for males and females is incompatible with an IC single-cadre seniority system. It would simply be impossible to integrate those without a labor bloodbath, since there is no win-win situation.
Zizou From Australia, joined Oct 2000, 1527 posts, RR: 5 Reply 5, posted (10 years 3 months 1 week 4 days 7 hours ago) and read 2102 times:
It would be great to see them in Sydney. They have a strong presence in Singapore, so I can see them flying to Sydney via SIN. Maybe we will get some cheaper flights in the SYD-SIN sector then...
N79969 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 6, posted (10 years 3 months 1 week 4 days 3 hours ago) and read 1997 times:
"The union issue with a merged airline was simply enough seniority integration. AI's multi-cadre seniority system with different lists for males and females is incompatible with an IC single-cadre seniority system. It would simply be impossible to integrate those without a labor bloodbath, since there is no win-win situation."
It's too bad because creating a single, integrated airline would give India a more formidable flag carrier. If India could shed some of the government hamstringing and the oppression of public sector unions, I think India could become a globally significant airline market. First, it has sufficient international O&D traffic and domestic market to support a big airline. Second, the geography is excellent- right between Europe and Asia/Australia. I think India has a lot more to offer tourists than either Dubai or Singapore. I hope the potential is tapped someday.
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