Virgin Atlantic Flying Club - New route - Daily flight to Mumbai, beginning October

And that's about all I know really!

Good to build upon their DEL service.

I wonder where the aircraft comes from. Is this the winter counterpart to YVR/second SFO until more aircraft arrive?

I hope it works this time. Surely it must do with so much demand nowadays.

ITs departure from this route should help VS. This IIRC is the second airline after OS to come back to BOM. Wonder who's next?

I wonder where the aircraft comes from. Is this the winter counterpart to YVR/second SFO until more aircraft arrive?

I hope it works this time. Surely it must do with so much demand nowadays.

They have 5 new build A330's arriving this year and 2 China Airlines temp leased ones returning in the second half.. so 7 new aircraft this year.

G-VROM also comes back and is the first to get refitted at HAECO next month - but G-VTOP will leave once the refits are done.

So lets say that SFO/YVR and BOM are 2 new aircraft (could just be the one, but lets wait and see if anything else is annoucned) that leaves 5 or 6 that will replace 343/346's this year. (and 4 346's are not having their leases renewed).

So a little growth - and getting rid of the 346's should help reduce the fuel bill!

Well it does sound refreshing to call this a new route, but I would refer to it as a re birth of a route which they operated 3 years ago.

The arrival back to London fanfared by the National Anthem was so nauseous I still wake up in a cold sweat thinking about it.

Oh dear - that does sound hideous :D

ITs departure from this route should help VS.

Was just about to say that. Taking advantage of a foreseen market gap, even using the same type of aircraft.

BA going to do anything to match this? Probably in terms of increasing capacity somehow, any chance of frequency?
They might also do with somehow catering for an increase in DEL as well as Bombay.

They have 5 new build A330's arriving this year and 2 China Airlines temp leased ones returning in the second half.. so 7 new aircraft this year.

G-VROM also comes back and is the first to get refitted at HAECO next month - but G-VTOP will leave once the refits are done.

So lets say that SFO/YVR and BOM are 2 new aircraft (could just be the one, but lets wait and see if anything else is annoucned) that leaves 5 or 6 that will replace 343/346's this year. (and 4 346's are not having their leases renewed).

So a little growth - and getting rid of the 346's should help reduce the fuel bill!

I forgot about the LGW 330s moving over to LHR. I was thinking LHR only had a net increase of one aircraft this year.

VS seems to have a lot of custom in the India-US market. When BOM operated the first time I can remember being on a flight to EWR which was delayed to wait for the incoming 256 (was that the flight number?) because so many of the passengers were connecting from that flight.

VS seems to have a lot of custom in the India-US market.
As do BA and LH as well. In fact, while BA has many of its own British or Indian or British Indian passengers on LHR-India routes, most of the passengers on LH's routes to BLR, MAA, HYD and formerly CCU are Indian Americans and Canadians.

I forgot about the LGW 330s moving over to LHR. I was thinking LHR only had a net increase of one aircraft this year.

VS seems to have a lot of custom in the India-US market. When BOM operated the first time I can remember being on a flight to EWR which was delayed to wait for the incoming 256 (was that the flight number?) because so many of the passengers were connecting from that flight.

I guess they can be felxible in their fleet planning - ie 330's to replace 346's OR provide growth if the opportunity arises. (I am sure the lessors would be glad to have someone keeping the 346 longer :p)

As for BOM-US traffic - unlike the last foray into the market which could only connect EWR - this flight is better timed to connect to alot of VS USA flights.

Any news on new routes in the coming year or so? would love Rio or Perth direct with the 787.

Any news on new routes in the coming year or so? would love Rio or Perth direct with the 787.

Actually, they won't delivery sometime in 2014 or 2015. They are not ready to being built new 787-9 Dreamliner.

I'd much rather Sao Paolo than Rio - would be very useful! Seoul seems an obvious one, before BA get in there...

BKK also now that Qantas have dropped a 747 frequency?

One of the A330s will be doing the BOM route.

One of the A330s will be doing the BOM route.

This will feature the latest on board kit including the "new" Upper Class Dreamsuite.