JDiver

I'm pretty sure I will post a trip report about AA 292 / 293 F the week of March 20 or on the next weekend. PM me with a reminder now, and I will be sure to alert you when I post.

GUWonder

An early morning arrival into DEL would be nice; and I certainly would like it (except perhaps in the hot weather). But AA having twice-daily, year-round non-stop service for US-Delhi won't be anywhere near as profitable for AA as the current arrangement.

millionmiler

UA had two flights to DEL via either LHR or HKG.

aamilesslave

Wouldn't it make more sense for AA to fly to BOM instead of adding another DEL flight?

GUWonder

UA flew LHR-DEL and then the plane would go DEL-HKG. (September 18th, 2001 or thereabouts was the last time UA flew scheduled passengers on some of this route.) It was part of UA's RTW-type service. The other direction was also available at various points in time. I recall something about UA's service to DEL starting in 1995 and then something about a suspension in 1999. I also recall that in 2001, the LHR-DEL-HKG route was certainly operating.)

UA had loaded and sold fares for ORD-DEL in 2001 too, but that was aborted before those scheduled non-stops happened. I don't recall if that was going to be a supplementary flight to DEL or a replacement for UA's "transatlantic"/"east-bound" (even if transpolar technically) service to DEL. Do you?

FWAAA

Mr/Ms Obvious Answer Here: The answer to that really depends on whether a BOM flight would fill up with sufficient numbers of paid F and J passengers or whether AA could more easily fill with premium fares the F and J cabins with of a second flight to DEL.

MiamiBeach

I think one of the issues is that AA's 777s wouldn't be able to make it ORD-BOM nonstop both ways.

SeeBuyFly

DEL is closest to ORD and to the US in general, and AA can fill up two or more flights to DEL if they are smoothly integrated with local connections to elsewhere in India. Right now, connections are as difficult as they could possibly be, because of the overnight wait (when going to India) and the lack of luggage interlining and convenient transport between intl and dom (both ways).

JonNYC

There's zero chance of AA adding another ORD-DEL flight.

GUWonder

kalia960's commenting about what AA could do under specific circumstances -- circumstances that are unlikely to be possible in the short-term -- and JonNYC's commenting about what AA are likely to do under current circumstances. Both are correct.

Wilbur

I was re-routed onto the ORD-DEL flight earlier this week due to bad weather in DFW causing me to miss my original connection in FRA (was on my way to BLR). Anyway, here are my observations:

1. The flight was oversold.
2. The service is bog-standard international stuff. Nothing special.
3. The FAs were particularly menacing and not very service-oriented. It has been a while since I had this sort of AA FAs - I don't expect Singapore girls or CX-style service, but menacing is the word for it.
4. The Indian dinner I chose was not too bad at all.
5. The arrival in DEL means that you cannot connect anywhere else. If DEL is not your final destination, you will have to stay overnight somewhere and come back the next day.
6. DEL airport is not nearly as bad as BOM, but you don't want to linger there waiting for 5-hour-delayed connecting flights.
7. Neither Air Sahara nor Jet Airways would admit to earning AA miles.

Summary: ORD-DEL works just fine, but it is nothing fancy. Other options that do not require connections in India will continue to be my choice.

GUWonder

Can't say I blame you, as avoiding connections in India -- especially at the hours we are dealing with in both directions -- is a positive.

enjoystravel

AA seems to have decent availability on ORD-DEL in coach during peak summer travel time to India though Business is practically full on many days.

They are selling ORD-DEL-ORD for $1300 on many days in mid to late june (with 7 day advance purchase) but the problem is connecting flts from many markets are full. This is the curse of the hub model.

For example, SFO-ORD-DEL-ORD-SFO (or SJC) price at $2,300 whereas ORD-DEL-ORD-SFO come in substantially lower. This shows that SFO-DEL fares are being pushed up by capacity constraints on SFO-ORD route.

AA seems to be quite happy with yields on this route with the strong performance from premium cabins. They don't seem to be targeting consolidator distribution as much as the successful Asian carriers (SQ, CX, etc.).

I'll bet that one more flt to India is due for announcement this year. I don't think it will be ORD-DEL but another city pair as I've speculated in other threads before.

TWA Guy

How could AA fly this? No more 777s are on order at this time and they won't place an order in the short term.

Fly AA J all the way

If they think they'll make more money flying an existing 777 to India than on one of it's current routes, you can bet they'll switch it. Also, they did just axe SJC-NRT, doesn't that free one up?