Englandair From United Kingdom, joined Oct 2000, 2228 posts, RR: 3 Posted (7 years 7 months 2 weeks 3 days 10 hours ago) and read 3958 times:
Hi all,
With the recent deregulation in India, British Airways are dramatically increasing their frequencies to the country, as well as opening a new route to Bangalore. In fact by next summer, BA will have almost doubled the number of weekly services to India and in preparation are spending around £1million (approx. $176000) on tailoring onboard services to attract a larger Indian clientele.
By the summer British Airways will serve:
- Bangalore- 5x weekly B777
- Delhi- 14x weekly B747/B777
- Chennai- 6x weekly B747
- Mumbai- 14x weekly B747/B777
- Kolkata- 3x weekly B777
So, my question is this: considering there are no extra aircraft joining the fleet (to my knowledge, at least!), how are BA able to add so many flights? Have frequencies on other non-Indian routes been cut back to allow for aircraft/ slots/ crews/ etc to operate the flights?
Willyj From United States of America, joined Oct 2005, 467 posts, RR: 0 Reply 2, posted (7 years 7 months 2 weeks 3 days 9 hours ago) and read 3857 times:
I wish that were the case... obviously you forgot a 0 on the end of that!
BA has such a large fleet of longhaul aircraft that I'm sure they can tweak their schedules a little bit and find a few spare frames. Yes, I think it was mentioned earlier that the Saudi frames would be used for this expansion. Has BA discontinued any other Longhaul routes recently? For the winter they have a few less flights to the US, maybe that's where the planes are coming from?
PA110 From United States of America, joined Dec 2003, 1950 posts, RR: 26 Reply 3, posted (7 years 7 months 2 weeks 3 days 9 hours ago) and read 3837 times:
I was told by my sales rep that they are pulling the 747 from the NBO service and putting it on the India routes. NBO will be operated by 777. This is really going to hurt the tourism/safari business because of the huge reduction in the number of seats to the destination. I hope KQ has the resources to get its hands on more aircraft and go double-daily from LHR. The demand next summer will far exceed capacity.
LAXDESI From United States of America, joined May 2005, 5085 posts, RR: 48 Reply 4, posted (7 years 7 months 2 weeks 3 days 9 hours ago) and read 3780 times:
Quoting B742 (Reply 1): Are BA the largest European airline in India now, or is it still LH?
Currently, it is LH with about 38 weekly flights, but that may change by next summer if BA comes through with the proposed additions. I believe LH has plans to add new locations and increase frequency to some existing locations.
Pomnath From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 5, posted (7 years 7 months 2 weeks 3 days 2 hours ago) and read 3580 times:
It is obvious to most of us here in India that the travel business to the US will suffer co-terminus with the developments in the US economy. Obviously the aircraft for India are coming from those pulled off the US routes.
Zvezda From Lithuania, joined Aug 2004, 10511 posts, RR: 65 Reply 7, posted (7 years 7 months 2 weeks 2 days 20 hours ago) and read 3416 times:
Quoting Nimish (Reply 6): I think we'll see a reduction in fares during offseason - this kind of capacity is hard to sustain at the normal prices!
The increase in capacity pursuant to the liberalized bilateral will surely result in fare reductions. Demand is steadily increasing, but the supply was increased in one big step. That can only result in a drop in prices in the short term. An OpenSkies treaty would result in low prices over the long term.
Pe@rson From United Kingdom, joined Jan 2001, 18826 posts, RR: 54 Reply 8, posted (7 years 7 months 2 weeks 2 days 19 hours ago) and read 3368 times:
I wonder whether additional cities, like COK, HYD, ATQ and TRV, will ever be served by BA, BD, 9W or AI from LHR. (I realise AMD is served non-stop by AI.) I believe HYD's runway is on an insufficient length to fly non-stop to Europe, so it could possibly be routed LHR-AMD-HYD or whatever. What happened to BA's talks re. HYD? They were, at one stage, considering HYD.
"Everyone writing for the Telegraph knows that the way to grab eyeballs is with Ryanair and/or sex."
Pe@rson From United Kingdom, joined Jan 2001, 18826 posts, RR: 54 Reply 10, posted (7 years 7 months 2 weeks 2 days 13 hours ago) and read 3143 times:
Quoting Stealthpilot (Reply 9): The Runway at HYD can handle LH 340's, 777's and also 744's (AI?). Runway lenght is not the factor.
Well, that is what A.net members said. But I should have known better: fact is far less frequently submitted than fiction. Anyway, I suspect HYD will be served at some stage, either with 763s or 772s. Would BA serve HYD non-stop?
Also, I suspect that DEL will go twice-daily at some stage.
"Everyone writing for the Telegraph knows that the way to grab eyeballs is with Ryanair and/or sex."
Spike From United Kingdom, joined Feb 2004, 1170 posts, RR: 6 Reply 11, posted (7 years 7 months 2 weeks 2 days 13 hours ago) and read 3117 times:
Seeing as India buys very little (look at the airport you land in), I don't see what all the fuss is over? India routes are easy to fill in either direction from most major cities - expect more curry on BA with their GBP1m (not a lot though is it). BAs pricing to india will seperate the men from the boys. Which airline is more likely to be Oneworld in India? I'd go with Jet Airways for their lack of Asian routes and established India slots.
Apart from that, I'd give the whole place a very wide berth until the government invests in its society. Indian airports, companies, infrastructure, banks and media are a joke.
CHI787ORD From United States of America, joined Jun 2005, 517 posts, RR: 4 Reply 12, posted (7 years 7 months 2 weeks 2 days 13 hours ago) and read 3099 times:
Quoting LAXDESI (Reply 4): . I believe LH has plans to add new locations and increase frequency to some existing locations.
AlanUK From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 15, posted (7 years 7 months 2 weeks 2 days 11 hours ago) and read 2992 times:
Quoting Englandair (Thread starter): Have frequencies on other non-Indian routes been cut back to allow for aircraft/ slots/ crews/ etc to operate the flights?
There's also the fact that BA is currently transferring 4 more short haul 767s to the WorldWide fleet, possibly to make some 777s available for other routes.
Pomnath From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 16, posted (7 years 7 months 2 weeks 2 days 11 hours ago) and read 2958 times:
Quoting Spike (Reply 11): Apart from that, I'd give the whole place a very wide berth until the government invests in its society. Indian airports, companies, infrastructure, banks and media are a joke.
Hunh? Most everybody in the world is knocking at the door to be let in. Could you please be specific in what aspects of India you find a joke? And what has this got to do with aviation?
Pe@rson From United Kingdom, joined Jan 2001, 18826 posts, RR: 54 Reply 20, posted (7 years 7 months 2 weeks 17 hours ago) and read 2507 times:
Didn't BA say, sometime ago, that it wanted to operate to both BLR and HYD using 763 machines? I think it considered a one-stop service to HYD. I might be wrong, but I vagely remember that it did.
"Everyone writing for the Telegraph knows that the way to grab eyeballs is with Ryanair and/or sex."
Mrniji From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 21, posted (7 years 7 months 2 weeks 17 hours ago) and read 2497 times:
Quoting Pe@rson (Reply 20): think it considered a one-stop service to HYD.
With stop where? Maybe in the Gulf and explore 5th freedom (does BA have 5th freedom in the context of the new bilat from the Gulf? AFAIK yes)..
It will be interesting to see how the liberalization of bilats will lead to the exploiration of "new remote" markets by the carriers.. I see a lot of potential for AI in this field (due to lesser costs and perfect price-based competition)
Mrniji From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 23, posted (7 years 7 months 2 weeks 17 hours ago) and read 2454 times:
Quoting Pe@rson (Reply 22): that BA said it was considering flying via BLR. But that'd be a little silly.
That would indeed be silly. They would never get 7th (?) Freedom.. would be a traditional AI milk run
Quoting Pe@rson (Reply 22): Do you think COK or TRV or both will ever be served from LON perhaps twice- or thrice-weekly?
I do think they will.. the Keralites do have a market, and building on 6th freedom (and scrapping the silly Transit visa) could make BA a strong player.
One thing which is noteworthy with the LCC competition: Point-to-point strategies are again receiving a new momentum.
Monkeyboi From United Kingdom, joined Oct 2004, 457 posts, RR: 3 Reply 24, posted (7 years 7 months 2 weeks 15 hours ago) and read 2388 times:
The new India plans look like this:
From October 2005:
- Move from daily to double daily flights to BOM
- Begin serving BLR 5 times per week
- Increase MAA frequency from 2 per week to 6 per week.
From March 2006:
- Move from daily to double daily on DEL
- Increase BLR from 5 x weekly to daily
- Increase MAA from 6 x weekly to daily
This will be achieved by the dropping or some LH routes, such as Saudi (and also rumoured Luanda).
Also the long-haul fleet has grown by 4 aircraft through the transferring of 4 767-300's from short-haul to long-haul. These 767's will be reconfigured with Club Sleeper seats and World Traveller Plus (No First). These aircraft will begin to replace the 777's on some 'thin' US and african routes and the 777's transferred to the india routes.
An 'Indian Routes Focus Group' has also been set up within BA. Their job is to look at every aspect of the customer journey; from booking, the airport experience, inflight service & catering, arrivals and transfers, as well as improvements to the Executive Club.
Sales and Marketing are gearing up for major advertising campaigns in the UK, India and North America. The message of these campaigns will focus on the world of opportunity BA is opening up to India through increased services, a global network and an enhanced product offering.
There will be an 'Indian Route Focus roadshow' in the crew report centre at LHR to allow the cabin crew to gain knowledge and ask questions about Indian culture and Indian passengers expectations.
The reason for all the 'India Focus Group' etc etc:
"Our Inflight customer satisfaction levels on all indian routes are consistently 10% lower than then BA longhaul network average. This covers both UK and non-UK passengers and would indicate that our customers perceive that the service on these routes is lower than on others".
Changes to the Onboard Product:
- An investment of GBP1 million in a package of enhancement to the onboard product on indian routes.
World Traveller and World Traveller Plus: (From Oct 05)
- New menus ex India
- On MAA,CCU,BLR the removal of the second 'hot baguette service' and the re-instatement of a second hot meal.
- Cold snacks for mid flight
FIRST/Club World (From Apr 06)
- Working with the renowned chef Vineet Bhatia (the first Michelin starred Indian chef in europe) the development of a new Indian style cuisine and eating experience.
25 Pe@rson: BA’s second-daily service from LHR to DEL is in Amadeus.net now. The additional service, #257, will be operated by the 772. It’ll depart LHR at 17
26 Jaysit: Indian companies a joke? What dense bubble are you living in? Foreign investment in India is growing by double digits, and foreign investment by Indi
27 Pe@rson: BA have some very good fares to India at the moment, including £399 return all-in to both BOM and MAA.
28 Pe@rson: While I realise that the demand between the UK and India and vice-versa is huge, I wonder how many people connect, from other British destinations, ma
29 Monkeyboi: I don't know Pea@rson, but I DO know that BA was fed up with the amount of passengers flying to India/Pakistan/Bangladesh with EK/QR etc via the gulf.
30 Pomnath: BA (and for that matter, VS) will be even more fed up with the numbers that start moving on 9W and the newly resurgent AI, especially on the non-LHR
31 HAWK21M: Very true.Can't wait for the International Flying rule of 5yrs to be dropped to 3yrs. regds MEL
32 Pe@rson: I would choose the new flights times every time if it was the same price: it is far more convenient.
33 Pomnath: As pure Delhi or London passengers, the convenience of a late night departure LHR and a morning arrival DEL is crown only by a comfortable afternoon
35 Nimish: Much needed to get a lot of Indian fliers on BA - currently I can't earn a single mile on BA if I fly any of their economy fares, and there's no sens
36 Schipholjfk: WHAT????? Exactly what is the problem with US Economy? Still less than 5% unemployment and another month of growth inspite of Hurricanes, etc.
37 Mrniji: Unemployment figures are inadequate alone for the interpretation of the economy if they are not followed by other figures
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