SNBru From Belgium, joined Feb 2005, 166 posts, RR: 0 Posted (2 years 11 months 3 weeks 5 days 20 hours ago) and read 1441 times:
In May this year, I flew VS from LHR to DEL. Great experience on this flight; first time Virgin and first time A343!
Part of the good experience was due to the very low load factor. I flew a decent amount of carriers on a decent number of international trips and I never had such a low load factor on a international flight.
I estimate the load factor in economy to be about 20% max and the factor even seemed to be lower in Upper Class.
It felt as I had my personal flight attendant, who acted like that as he was treating me with all his attention and providing me with extra food and drinks! I could choose wathever seat I wanted (stretched my legs in emergency exit seat)
When I asked the attendant about the low load, he said it was usual during this time of the year and it was due to the low season for Delhi (temperatures too high for human beings as I experienced myself later on). How can VS make money on this flights? Do they have high cargo loads on this sector? Why not suspend the flight during the low season? How are the Mumbai flights doing?
BA787 From United Kingdom, joined Jun 2006, 2596 posts, RR: 11 Reply 1, posted (2 years 11 months 3 weeks 5 days 20 hours ago) and read 1438 times:
I'd imagine some flights are at a loss in different seasons, but VS can still serve thedm due to the success of other flights. Also, VS would probably downgrade the a/c if it had anything any smaller, which it doesnt.
Feroze From India, joined Dec 2004, 770 posts, RR: 2 Reply 4, posted (2 years 11 months 3 weeks 5 days ago) and read 1026 times:
I travelled on VS300 to DEL on 9th Nov and back to LHR VS301 on 14th Nov in Upper Class. Going out the flight was almost full in all three cabins, but coming back was much quieter, especially in UC which was running at about 60%.
BCA2005 From India, joined Sep 2005, 234 posts, RR: 0 Reply 5, posted (2 years 11 months 3 weeks 5 days ago) and read 1011 times:
It all depends on the time of year that you travel. I also travelled on VS300 to DEL on 12th Oct in Premium Economy and the flight was overbooked in all three cabins, with hardly any no shows, which meant they had to pay out compensation to quite a few passengers and rebook them to the following day. However, my return on VS301 on 18th Oct was quite the opposite, with a load factor of about 50%.
Jacobin777 From United States, joined Sep 2004, 13323 posts, RR: 68 Reply 6, posted (2 years 11 months 3 weeks 5 days ago) and read 992 times:
Quoting BA787 (Reply 1): I'd imagine some flights are at a loss in different seasons, but VS can still serve thedm due to the success of other flights. Also, VS would probably downgrade the a/c if it had anything any smaller, which it doesnt.
The downside to VS, hence why I've incessantly stating VS need a smaller plane such as an A330...that would allow them to "downsize" planes on some routes as well as restart other routes such as ORD...
Flybhx764 From United Kingdom, joined Jan 2004, 184 posts, RR: 3 Reply 7, posted (2 years 11 months 3 weeks 4 days 23 hours ago) and read 973 times:
I have flew LHR- DEL - LHR twice in one year. Both flights were full. I flew in Jan returned April, Went August and back in Sept. Also you have to remember. The planes has loads of cargo on it to.!!
SNBru From Belgium, joined Feb 2005, 166 posts, RR: 0 Reply 8, posted (2 years 11 months 3 weeks 4 days 22 hours ago) and read 902 times:
What about the mumbai flights?
Secondly, I want to mention that that almost empty flight was a delight and my best flight ever. All food and drinks you wanted, strechted out in first row, marvelous inflight entertainement system and they serve Stella onboard!
Planesarecool From United Kingdom, joined Nov 2001, 3826 posts, RR: 19 Reply 10, posted (2 years 11 months 3 weeks 4 days 20 hours ago) and read 776 times:
You have to remember that May is the hottest month of year in Delhi, and also has very little rainfall to compliment it, so this is likely to be the time where there is very little leisure and VFR passengers. Once you get into June and July, you have Monsoon season, so generally the summer season is pretty low.
Quoting Mk777 (Reply 9): What time does VS 301 fly to DEL??
21:00
Quoting SNBru (Reply 8): What about the mumbai flights?
Mumbai wouldn't be as badly affected as it is the financial capital of India, and would therefore have a larger business market. It is also one of the richer parts of India, so more people living there would have the money to fly the route.
However, like Delhi, there is less demand during the summer - hence why airlines such as BA downgrade the route from April through to October.
Feroze From India, joined Dec 2004, 770 posts, RR: 2 Reply 12, posted (2 years 11 months 3 weeks 4 days 19 hours ago) and read 705 times:
Quoting Planesarecool (Reply 10): You have to remember that May is the hottest month of year in Delhi, and also has very little rainfall to compliment it, so this is likely to be the time where there is very little leisure and VFR passengers. Once you get into June and July, you have Monsoon season, so generally the summer season is pretty low.
Yeah, it's only fools like me that go to India in May and return in September. Fares are low though!!!
SNBru From Belgium, joined Feb 2005, 166 posts, RR: 0 Reply 13, posted (2 years 11 months 3 weeks 4 days ago) and read 535 times:
Quoting Feroze (Reply 12): Yeah, it's only fools like me that go to India in May and return in September. Fares are low though!!!
Count me in. For the same reason! Though, I had a great time in India in May, but I must say the heat was killing me.
Quoting Mk777 (Reply 9): What time does VS 301 fly to DEL??
I love the arrival in DEL around noon. Most other carriers arrive by midnight in DEL. Believe me, if you are a tourist arring for the first time in India, you will love to arrive while there still is sunlight and more important, still time to choose a hotel.
BA1985 From United Kingdom, joined Nov 2006, 25 posts, RR: 0 Reply 14, posted (2 years 11 months 3 weeks 4 days ago) and read 491 times:
Often carriers will tolerate low yields on some sectors or during some times of the year due to the overall profitibility of the route and the need to keep slots certainly at the LHR end.
Feroze From India, joined Dec 2004, 770 posts, RR: 2 Reply 15, posted (2 years 11 months 3 weeks 3 days 23 hours ago) and read 447 times:
Quoting SNBru (Reply 13): love the arrival in DEL around noon. Most other carriers arrive by midnight in DEL. Believe me, if you are a tourist arring for the first time in India, you will love to arrive while there still is sunlight and more important, still time to choose a hotel.
Very true. BA also has a daylight arrival, though at the moment it's at 0455 for the winter schedule. LH's flight from MUC also used to be an early morning (daylight) arrival - don't know if this has changed since last year. Apart from Jet and perhaps Air India from LHR, as far as I know all the other European flights arrive during the hours of darkness.
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