AI change of schedule
 

I see new flight timings loaded by AI for FRA.

From 1st of December, I see a new flight AI1120 FRA-DEL and the current AI126 will fly to BOM instead of DEL.

Any more information about these schedule changes?

Not sure if this is what you're looking for, but found this link (dated March 09, though...)

Also posted at Airlineroute.net. Effective 10/25/09 for at least the duration of the northern winter timetable.

Thanks for the pointer.. So they effectively changed 777-200 LR from AMD to DEL and routed 777-300 from BOM to AMD, and 777-300 from DEL to BOM. Not sure why is this really necessary. Is traffic from AMD so high and traffic from DEL so low?

Delhi – Frankfurt
AI121 DEL0205 – 0630FRA 77L D
AI1120 FRA0945 – 2200DEL 77L D

Ahmedabad – Frankfurt – Newark
AI191 AMD0225 – 0630FRA0830 – 1130EWR 77W D
AI144 EWR1825 – 0800+1FRA1000+1 – 2200+1AMD 77W D

Mumbai – Frankfurt – Chicago
AI127 BOM0155 – 0630FRA0840 – 1050ORD 77W D
AI126 ORD1655 – 0805+1FRA1005+1 – 2235+1BOM 77W D

Mix of seats, perhaps? The 77Ls have more F........

Possible. But at the same time, DEL with a lot of connecting traffic to HYD/BLR/MAA/COK deserves more economy seats than AMD. I really wonder a cut in the capacity to DEL and increase to AMD.

And even then a simple switch between AMD and DEL would have done the trick. I dont get why AI 126 is sent to BOM and the BOM flight to AMD.

And if AMD is seeing more traffic because of the current direct flight to FRA, ^ ^, try a direct flight from HYD to FRA. You would get definitely a flight load from other carriers to connect to US/Europe via FRA. EK serves HYD with 3 widebodies daily, with most of the traffic connecting to US/Europe and AI just a 320. Isnt it our national carrier?

could it have something to do with the fog in delhi during the winters?

That was another point that striked me. Not that 777-200 has better capability to fly into fog but its possible that they may want to avoid disruption to the flights from FRA to ORD. Having a flight terminating at FRA from DEL might confine the impact to DEL passengers only. But then the whole thing was managed is quite confusing. A direct switch between AMD and DEL flights would have done the trick.

And not sure about all the connecting PAX. They are using DEL as hub and most of the passengers arriving to DEL on AI 126 today seem to be transit passengers.