AI nonstop BLR / DEL- SFO
Sep 20, 2015, 6:17 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: ORD
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AI nonstop BLR / DEL- SFO
Well this is after all times of india. Unless its a news article relating to some innuendo crap its rarely makes the news. But this caught my eye in my news feed.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/i...w/49038356.cms
From what I know they only have 3 of the 200LR's left. rest were sold to Etihad. AI does have a new MD but I doubt if this would make economic sense....
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/i...w/49038356.cms
From what I know they only have 3 of the 200LR's left. rest were sold to Etihad. AI does have a new MD but I doubt if this would make economic sense....
Sep 20, 2015, 11:35 pm
#2
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Delhi, India
Programs: Air India Silver Edge, Jet Airways Silver
Posts: 271
Just another Jumla (PR spin-doctoring not based on reality)!
This one is to coincide with Dear Leader's upcoming visit to SFO!
Never gonna happen! Even if it is launched(unlikely), dont see it sustaining past 3 months! Until the next foreign trip!
This one is to coincide with Dear Leader's upcoming visit to SFO!
Never gonna happen! Even if it is launched(unlikely), dont see it sustaining past 3 months! Until the next foreign trip!
Sep 21, 2015, 12:42 am
#3
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EK did years of studies about the financials of DXB-PTY route before eventually launching.
I'm skeptical that anyone within AI has done the same and then approved the route.
I'm skeptical that anyone within AI has done the same and then approved the route.
Sep 21, 2015, 5:41 am
#4
Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources
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The two 77L left in the AI fleet (VT-ALF and ALH) are indeed twiddling thumbs flying 2-3h missions, probably as check/training flights for 777 pilots to keep their licences. Really sad. VT-ALG has been stored since ages, its probably waiting to be sold.
That said I really doubt SFO would make sense. More here: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/india...op-flight.html
That said I really doubt SFO would make sense. More here: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/india...op-flight.html
Sep 22, 2015, 8:03 pm
#7
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Delhi, India
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Airlines usually start marketing and load their reservation systems months in advance - minimum 4 months atleast! AI has not done this for SFO! Yet the route was announced!
Dear Leader is leaving for SFO on another foreign junket today and needs grandiose announcements to make! This is one of those!
Just like the $3 billion arms deals "approved in principle" - also something that is never going to happen!
Dear Leader is leaving for SFO on another foreign junket today and needs grandiose announcements to make! This is one of those!
Just like the $3 billion arms deals "approved in principle" - also something that is never going to happen!
Sep 25, 2015, 3:35 am
#8
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just got back from sfo this morning....a non-stop to india would have been great but i agree with others, its not likely to happen....just seems like another pr stunt....
Sep 25, 2015, 3:47 am
#9
Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources
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Well... the Chinese just did a similar tour of the US and announced a big aircraft order, a boeing completion line in China etc... I can very well imagine that Modi will announce grand plans for a west coast AI flight at the Arena in SJC this Sunday. Wether its pragmatic or makes commerical sense is on another page. 
This is AI and Indian politics after all.
This is AI and Indian politics after all.
Sep 25, 2015, 10:22 pm
#10
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: SFO
Posts: 3,942
Indeed ... bling over substance! 
Wow ... turns out I started that thread
That said I really doubt SFO would make sense. More here: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/india...op-flight.html
That said I really doubt SFO would make sense. More here: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/india...op-flight.html
Sep 27, 2015, 2:42 am
#11
Join Date: Nov 2013
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AI announces Longest Flight in the world! Non-stop BLR-SFO !
Well, I'll be damned !
This just in:
AI CMD Mr. Lohani announces flt to San Francisco from Bangalore.
Flight will be 16 hrs non stop & 3 times a week.
This flight will take over the mantle of being the longest in the world (8701 miles) from QF's SYD-DFW (8578 miles) and EK's yet to start DXB-PTY (85788 miles) route.
More details to be announced soon as to the starting date and so on, but I think we can all agree on the choice of aircraft.
Only one can do this haul: 777-200LR.
Good to see those birds stretching their legs after lying idle.
I really, really, really hope that AI has done proper homework for this and will make this work.
https://twitter.com/airindiain/statu...51149904347136
Update: AI revises its own statement and announces DEL to SFO non-stop flight with connections from elsewhere into DEL. Starts Dec 2, 2015.
https://twitter.com/airindiain/statu...13086033858560
This just in:
AI CMD Mr. Lohani announces flt to San Francisco from Bangalore.
Flight will be 16 hrs non stop & 3 times a week.
This flight will take over the mantle of being the longest in the world (8701 miles) from QF's SYD-DFW (8578 miles) and EK's yet to start DXB-PTY (85788 miles) route.
More details to be announced soon as to the starting date and so on, but I think we can all agree on the choice of aircraft.
Only one can do this haul: 777-200LR.
Good to see those birds stretching their legs after lying idle.
I really, really, really hope that AI has done proper homework for this and will make this work.
https://twitter.com/airindiain/statu...51149904347136
Update: AI revises its own statement and announces DEL to SFO non-stop flight with connections from elsewhere into DEL. Starts Dec 2, 2015.
https://twitter.com/airindiain/statu...13086033858560
Last edited by deovrat; Sep 27, 2015 at 6:53 am Reason: AI changes its own statement
Sep 27, 2015, 6:18 am
#13
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 558
While I don't want to sound negative, such announcements made in excited situations for emotional reasons won't last long.
BLR, though a tech city, may not have traffic and cargo to sustain such route profitably. If they had done BLR-NYC, and found a good partner in that hub (UA?) for further connections, it could have been sustained perhaps.
Not long ago, AI did BOM-LAX with one stop and burnt its finger.
BLR, though a tech city, may not have traffic and cargo to sustain such route profitably. If they had done BLR-NYC, and found a good partner in that hub (UA?) for further connections, it could have been sustained perhaps.
Not long ago, AI did BOM-LAX with one stop and burnt its finger.
Sep 27, 2015, 6:30 am
#14
Join Date: Nov 2013
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While I don't want to sound negative, such announcements made in excited situations for emotional reasons won't last long.
BLR, though a tech city, may not have traffic and cargo to sustain such route profitably. If they had done BLR-NYC, and found a good partner in that hub (UA?) for further connections, it could have been sustained perhaps.
Not long ago, AI did BOM-LAX with one stop and burnt its finger.
BLR, though a tech city, may not have traffic and cargo to sustain such route profitably. If they had done BLR-NYC, and found a good partner in that hub (UA?) for further connections, it could have been sustained perhaps.
Not long ago, AI did BOM-LAX with one stop and burnt its finger.
I'd have thought even DEL-SFO would make more sense, with BLR-DEL a tag flight; on the lines of current AI 126 HYD-DEL-ORD.
DEL is undeniably a better hub, you have good presence, plus DEL originating traffic would help too. Pure O&D traffic from BLR who wants to pay top dollar for a non-stop wouldn't necessarily fill this flight with enough loads to sustain the route.
Well I guess its better than keeping those 77Ls idle, but can't help but feel this route won't see the success they envision this to be.
This was purely a "See how we made AI a World Class airline by introducing a longest flight" kinda political announcement.
Update: Its indeed a DEL-SFO flight after all ! AI just revised its statement.
I should buy a lottery ticket today !
Last edited by deovrat; Sep 27, 2015 at 6:52 am