B747-437B From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Posted (9 years 1 month 3 weeks 2 days 21 hours ago) and read 2491 times:
Air India is celebrating the 40th anniversary of planned service to Los Angeles this month.
The airline is currently the largest carrier serving Los Angeles who doesn't actually serve Los Angeles, by virtue of existing codeshare agreements with Singapore Airlines and Malaysia Airlines, in addition to pending codeshares with Thai Airways and Asiana Airlines.
The first thoughts of Air India in Los Angeles surfaced in April of 1964 when the airline took delivery of its 7th Boeing 707 aircraft. At the time a proposal was made to extend the existing service to New York. The airline continued planning this service in the early 1970s when the Boeing 747s began delivery, first with a planned service via Europe and subsequently via Asia. A plan to route via Tokyo almost materialized as they were able to secure fifth freedom rights on the route. In 1981, the airline came closest to launching flights but decided on Montreal instead. In 1995, the airline entered into a codeshare agreement with United Airlines that saw the Air India code first grace the airport's arrival screens, but the agreement was discontinued in 1997. In 2001, the airline even briefly considered nonstop service from Delhi using Boeing 747-400s.
Speaking at a function in Mumbai, the airline spokesperson's voice dripped with nostalgia as he recited a number of milestones in the history of the proposed service.
"From New York, London, Tokyo, Hong Kong and even Moscow, our planned transit stops have changed over the years but the one constant has been the planned destination of Los Angeles. There have been strong links formed during these four decades of planning that continually bring the people of Los Angeles closer to India."
"Despite the reccomendation of the Ministry of Civil Aviation Sub-Committee for Route Planning as far back as 1965, the matter has been pending before the Standing Committee for Technical Evaluation since 1966. When approval was finally received to launch the service in May 1987, unfortunately the Boeing 707s were already retired from the fleet so we had to start the process again."
The airline will commemorate the 40th anniversary of the planned flights with a new plan to launch thrice weekly service via Frankfurt in June.
MaverickM11 From United States of America, joined Apr 2000, 15728 posts, RR: 47 Reply 1, posted (9 years 1 month 3 weeks 2 days 21 hours ago) and read 2455 times:
Nice to see India finally picking up the pace and cutting back the bureacracy! ...Or whatever!
Yyz717 From Canada, joined Sep 2001, 15989 posts, RR: 59 Reply 6, posted (9 years 1 month 3 weeks 2 days 20 hours ago) and read 2263 times:
Nothing appeals to MBA's more than consistent planning. Kudos to Air-India!
The unrealized losses from the non-commenced LAX service have actually INCREASED Air-India profits thus covering the salaries of the LAX planners at HQ in Delhi. A true stroke of airline brilliance.
Bravo!
Panam, TWA, Ansett, Eastern.......AC next? Might be good for Canada.
Jaysit From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 8, posted (9 years 1 month 3 weeks 2 days 10 hours ago) and read 2044 times:
And dont forget the 40th anniversary of the Flight Attendant Class of 1964 !
Flight Attendants Maria Lobo, Aaloo Pochkanawala, and Rajiv Singh celebrated 40 years of flying for Air India. The "girls" (as they still like to be called) were nostalgic - back in the old days we had to keep "our figures trim." Now we can let it all hang out, they say. Its much more comfortable, especially since we need to take frequent rests on long flights like our planned India-LAX service. The girls and Rajiv say that they will retire once they actually arrive in LA, and walk the same path trodden by their idols from the TV show "Three's Company." Maria is the Suzanne Somers character judging by her now platinum hair, and even at 62 has the same ditzy endearing quality of Ms. Somers. "We first saw an episode of Threes Company in 1978 on one of our flights, and we liked it so much, that Air India has not stopped showing it since then on all their US bound flights," says Aaloo.
Sponsor Message: 
From , joined Dec 1969, posts, 
From United States of America, joined Apr 2000, 15728 posts, 
From Tuvalu, joined Aug 2003, 5484 posts, 
From Australia, joined Oct 2002, 450 posts, 
From Canada, joined Oct 2002, 1406 posts, 
From France, joined Jul 2003, 1670 posts, 
From Egypt, joined Feb 2004, 5230 posts, 
Printer friendly format 
