LAXDESI From United States of America, joined May 2005, 5085 posts, RR: 48 Posted (4 years 3 months 2 weeks 5 days 23 hours ago) and read 7991 times:
It is being reported by Livemint that AI plans to offer SFO-DEL non-stop using B772LR. The flight is expected to start after Aug. 2009. SFO has the second largest Indian American population, and it should be able to draw a small chunk of LAX-DEL O&D traffic.
This will be the third non-stop by AI; It currently offers two non-stops: BOM-JFK and DEL-JFK.
Mir From United States of America, joined Jan 2004, 19813 posts, RR: 56 Reply 1, posted (4 years 3 months 2 weeks 5 days 23 hours ago) and read 7986 times:
Damn, that's going to be a long flight. Would be great to see, though. I'd imagine the Silicon Valley crowd wouldn't mind having a direct flight to India (even if it's BOM and not BLR).
-Mir
7 billion, one nation, imagination...it's a beautiful day
Kiwiandrew From New Zealand, joined Jun 2005, 8435 posts, RR: 14 Reply 2, posted (4 years 3 months 2 weeks 5 days 23 hours ago) and read 7977 times:
Quoting Mir (Reply 1): Damn, that's going to be a long flight. Would be great to see, though. I'd imagine the Silicon Valley crowd wouldn't mind having a direct flight to India (even if it's BOM and not BLR).
actually according to the OP it is DEL
Moderation in all things ... including moderation ;-)
LAXDESI From United States of America, joined May 2005, 5085 posts, RR: 48 Reply 3, posted (4 years 3 months 2 weeks 5 days 23 hours ago) and read 7979 times:
Quoting Mir (Reply 1): Damn, that's going to be a long flight.
LAXintl From United States of America, joined May 2000, 22241 posts, RR: 51 Reply 4, posted (4 years 3 months 2 weeks 5 days 23 hours ago) and read 7957 times:
Best quote of the article
Quote: Air India says it is hopeful its non-stop flights will do much better.
For Air India's sake I hope so, as their LAX service was a disaster from the begining.
Between the constant delays, bad press(does not help when you abandon a plane load of folks at LAX for 24hrs on their own), and upset travel agent community, they were almost run out town.
Only good thing about AI's LAX flght was that they nearly always were the cheapest in the market -- often by a few hundred dollars.
From the desert to the sea, to all of Southern California
LAXDESI From United States of America, joined May 2005, 5085 posts, RR: 48 Reply 5, posted (4 years 3 months 2 weeks 5 days 23 hours ago) and read 7936 times:
The link indicates that AI will be receiving 4 B772LR between July and September. I suppose two will be used for SFO-DEL, and the other two perhaps for SFO-BLR in late 2009/early 2010.
The economic viabilty of ULH non-stop has improved lately due to lower jet fuel prices.
Mir From United States of America, joined Jan 2004, 19813 posts, RR: 56 Reply 6, posted (4 years 3 months 2 weeks 5 days 23 hours ago) and read 7930 times:
Quoting Kiwiandrew (Reply 2): actually according to the OP it is DEL
Oops.
-Mir
7 billion, one nation, imagination...it's a beautiful day
Ojas From India, joined Mar 2008, 2794 posts, RR: 22 Reply 7, posted (4 years 3 months 2 weeks 5 days 22 hours ago) and read 7820 times:
Quoting LAXDESI (Reply 5): and the other two perhaps for SFO-BLR in late 2009/early 2010.
AI is going to start BLR-DEL-SFO. AI has no plans as such to start a BLR-SFO non stop. The other 2 LRs in most probabilities will be used to start SYD.
A lion does not concern himself with the opinions of the sheep
Directorguy From Egypt, joined Jul 2008, 1569 posts, RR: 11 Reply 8, posted (4 years 3 months 2 weeks 5 days 21 hours ago) and read 7777 times:
EK must have been pulling in a significant number of SFO/LAX-DXB-India pax. This is almost certainly a response to that. I wonder what Kingfisher and Jet Airways' responses are to this very challenging route.
Next, AI should explore SEA. Large Indian community there would make it work. It would be better for AI to explore that market NOW before EK/QR/EY or even Jet beats them to it.
I would have suggested IAH but it's too crowded (QR, EK, DL, CO, BA and AF).
LAXDESI From United States of America, joined May 2005, 5085 posts, RR: 48 Reply 9, posted (4 years 3 months 2 weeks 5 days 14 hours ago) and read 7265 times:
AI is going to start BLR-DEL-SFO. AI has no plans as such to start a BLR-SFO non stop. The other 2 LRs in most probabilities will be used to start SYD.
It would make more sense to use B773ER to SYD than the B772LR.
How about LAX-BOM? LAX has a large Indian community that hails from BOM.
Gr8circle From Canada, joined Dec 2005, 2993 posts, RR: 4 Reply 10, posted (4 years 3 months 2 weeks 5 days 14 hours ago) and read 7238 times:
Quoting Mir (Reply 1): I'd imagine the Silicon Valley crowd wouldn't mind having a direct flight to India (even if it's BOM and not BLR).
It makes sense to operate the flight from a point where maximum number of passengers can travel / connect.....I guess Delhi makes sense for AI as they can easily connect passengers to other points in India.....the Indian population in SFO area is quite mixed and not just comprising of people from S.India alone....
Ojas From India, joined Mar 2008, 2794 posts, RR: 22 Reply 11, posted (4 years 3 months 2 weeks 5 days 14 hours ago) and read 7200 times:
Quoting LAXDESI (Reply 9): How about LAX-BOM? LAX has a large Indian community that hails from BOM.
LAX-BOM is too long, and in current situation, not the right thing to do and also not long ago we had a BOM-FRA-LAX which was a disaster.
SYD can be done with the B77W, that is right. AI is supposedly getting 4 LRs in this summer. Given that 2 will be for SFO, the other 2 maybe for SYD or who knows ORD may go non stop.
[Edited 2009-03-02 09:19:03]
A lion does not concern himself with the opinions of the sheep
LAXDESI From United States of America, joined May 2005, 5085 posts, RR: 48 Reply 12, posted (4 years 3 months 2 weeks 5 days 13 hours ago) and read 7054 times:
Quoting Ojas (Reply 11): SYD can be done with the B77W, that is right. AI is supposedly getting 4 LRs in this summer. Given that 2 will be for SFO, the other 2 maybe for SYD or who knows ORD may go non stop.
Looks like AI is working on FRA as a hub, with DEL-FRA-ORD, and BOM-FRA-EWR as the first two flights.
I would think DEL-IAD may work as United can provide decent feed. Another possibility is YYZ-DEL, another Star Alliance hub. How about making DEL a hub for non-stop flights to NA with immediate connections to other cities in India.
From the link in OP, Quote:
Four Boeing 777-200LR planes will join Air India's fleet between July and September. Three more Boeing 777-200ER will join by August.
"We are working on a schedule where Frankfurt will act as a hub," said Bhargava, adding it is yet to be decided if the German airport will become its permanent European hub. Air India's new flights to Chicago from New Delhi will touch Frankfurt as will also a Mumbai-Newark flight.
Mk777 From United States of America, joined Oct 2006, 1186 posts, RR: 0 Reply 13, posted (4 years 3 months 2 weeks 5 days 13 hours ago) and read 7038 times:
Quoting LAXDESI (Reply 12): Three more Boeing 777-200ER will join by August.
I think they mean 777-300ER, i don't think AI has ordered the 200ER.
Well so we will have:
DEL-JFK
BOM-JFK
DEL-SFO
I think with 8 LR's they can start another non-stop.
I agree with laxdesi, they should launch DEL-IAD and UA can take over with the US connections.
Atomsareenough From United States of America, joined Feb 2008, 544 posts, RR: 2 Reply 14, posted (4 years 3 months 2 weeks 5 days 13 hours ago) and read 6982 times:
Quoting Ojas (Reply 7): AI is going to start BLR-DEL-SFO. AI has no plans as such to start a BLR-SFO non stop. The other 2 LRs in most probabilities will be used to start SYD.
So the flight will be nonstop to DEL, and direct to BLR? That sounds pretty reasonable. I wonder what fares will be like. Part of me wonders if it will really happen though, as AI and IT had both been rumored to start service to SFO for the last several years now, and nothing materialized. Anyway, I hope it happens, and I'm looking forward to seeing a second 77L serving SFO!
LAXDESI From United States of America, joined May 2005, 5085 posts, RR: 48 Reply 15, posted (4 years 3 months 2 weeks 5 days 12 hours ago) and read 6942 times:
Quoting Mk777 (Reply 13): I think they mean 777-300ER, i don't think AI has ordered the 200ER.
You are correct. AI has ordered 773ER and not 772ER.
LAXDESI From United States of America, joined May 2005, 5085 posts, RR: 48 Reply 16, posted (4 years 3 months 2 weeks 5 days 11 hours ago) and read 6808 times:
Quoting Ojas (Reply 11): LAX-BOM is too long, and in current situation, not the right thing to do and also not long ago we had a BOM-FRA-LAX which was a disaster
Quoting LAXDESI (Reply 12): Looks like AI is working on FRA as a hub, with DEL-FRA-ORD, and BOM-FRA-EWR as the first two flights.
Does AI fly to YYZ? If no, then India-FRA-YYZ may be a possible route, along with India-FRA-IAD.
Smi0006 From Australia, joined Jan 2008, 1407 posts, RR: 0 Reply 17, posted (4 years 3 months 2 weeks 5 days 11 hours ago) and read 6807 times:
I must confess I would have thought that the 77W would have been to big for Sydney, Would have thought perhaps a reconfigured 330 from IC may have been better. Are they lickly to abuse the range abilites of the the 777LR just for it's size untill a truly ULH route/market devlopes.
Actaully come to think of it has there been much right sizing by way of reallocation of the fleet between IC and AI?
BMI727 From United States of America, joined Feb 2009, 14411 posts, RR: 26 Reply 18, posted (4 years 3 months 2 weeks 5 days 11 hours ago) and read 6771 times:
What is AI going to do differently that will make this work out better than Jet Airways' flights via PVG?
Why do Aerospace Engineering students have to turn things in on time?
Legacyins From United States of America, joined Aug 2003, 1866 posts, RR: 0 Reply 19, posted (4 years 3 months 2 weeks 5 days 11 hours ago) and read 6755 times:
With the current economic problems, more and more Indian H1B/L1 are returning home. Granted, there is still a sizeable population in the Bay Area but I forsee a slow down in the VFF market.
Hopefully AI has learned from 9W's mistake on their India-SFO route. Their main competitor will be EK on this route. Especially when EK goes daily in May. If they offer a good product and competitive prices, they may make it work. IMO.
Mk777 From United States of America, joined Oct 2006, 1186 posts, RR: 0 Reply 20, posted (4 years 3 months 2 weeks 5 days 11 hours ago) and read 6720 times:
Irishayes From United States of America, joined Jan 2008, 1768 posts, RR: 5 Reply 22, posted (4 years 3 months 2 weeks 5 days 9 hours ago) and read 6541 times:
YVR1968 From Australia, joined Feb 2004, 704 posts, RR: 0 Reply 23, posted (4 years 3 months 2 weeks 5 days 9 hours ago) and read 6495 times:
Quoting Smi0006 (Reply 17): I must confess I would have thought that the 77W would have been to big for Sydney, Would have thought perhaps a reconfigured 330 from IC may have been better. Are they lickly to abuse the range abilites of the the 777LR just for it's size untill a truly ULH route/market devlopes.
Well, considering QF just dropped its SYD-BOM nonstops (now routing through SIN and now originating in BNE), I would say the SYD-India market is not too viable right now. I reckon the 77W would be too large for SYD service unless of course we have another Southeast Asian stopover point.
I know they were considering DEL-FRA-YVR as well, but that got canned before it was even announced. I am sure eventually that ONE day they will actually see an Indian airline in YVR.
Perhaps if the SFO-DEL flight doesn't perform as well as expected, a SFO-YVR-DEL routing may work a few days per week. Don't know about the 5th freedom capabilities AI would have on SFO-YVR, but the routing is almost a straight line (7706 miles nonstop; 7734 miles via YVR).
Gr8Circle From Canada, joined Dec 2005, 2993 posts, RR: 4 Reply 24, posted (4 years 3 months 2 weeks 5 days 8 hours ago) and read 6375 times:
Quoting Ojas (Reply 21): AI flies as of now 3 weekly ATQ-LHR-YYZ, will go 6 weekly shortly.
I thought it was going to daily.....
25 Viscount724: As longhaul flights go, many others are significantly further (great circle mileage). A few examples: SFO-DEL 6597 nm ORD-HKG 6772 nm YYZ-HKG 6787 nm
26 MHTripple7: I believe these flights rely mainly on O&D as the only connections into and out of JFK are interline connections on DL, AA, UA, and a few others that
27 LAXDESI: I wonder why the link in OP suggests an 18 hour duration for the proposed SFO-DEL. It should be about 16 hours, unless the flight path has to deviate
28 Boeing747_600: The smart thing for AI to do would be to use an alternate routing such as Mon/Wed/Fri/Sun: BLR-DEL-SFO-DEL-BLR Tue/Thu/Sat: DEL-BLR-SFO-BLR-DEL for 4
29 UAL747: Anyone else notice that practically ALL ULH aircraft are being used by foreign airlines to the US? Just thought it was interesting. UAL
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