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....

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!

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.

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 :D

There is probably a large group of aviation analysts from USA who disagree with your statement/assertion.

This would make the longest flight.

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! :)

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....

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. :p This is AI and Indian politics after all.:D

Indeed ... bling over substance! :rolleyes:

Wow ... turns out I started that thread :)

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

Economy passengers will have lot of fun :D

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.

I think most of us on this forum feel along the same lines.

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 ! :D

AI nonstop BLR / DEL- SFO
 

Well it seems they announced a VIDP KSFO 3x weekly on their remaining 200LR s.

Actually, the flight was DEL-FRA-LAX and it didn't offer connections to BOM despite the "scissor hub" that AI was ostensibly offering in Frankfurt. Assinine scheduling and it bore the consequences of that.

World' s Longest Non Stop Flight Announced by Prime Mister Modi today

SFO to DEL AIR INDIA Starting Dec 2nd - 3 times a week

Announced at the SAP Speech in San Jose California a short while ago

this is not the world's longest flight by a long shot. Del-SFO will be 7706 miles while the current longest flight SYD-DFW is 8578 miles by itself. DXB-PTY will be 10 miles longer than SYD-DFW.

It would have been if it was BLR-SFO as was discussed.

I was referring to the posted above me who stated that the PM announced the world's longest flight while DEL-SFO was never going to make the cut in the first place.

SFO to Delhi Non Stop from Dec 2nd - 3 times a week
 

Announced by Prime Minister Modi @ SAP center Speech in San Jose Yesterday

by Air India ...... How long will it last is anyones guess

Not much I guess. Maybe 12 months...considering that you have to sit in a plane for 16+ hours win imbecile AI staff.

Sorry for the thread drift, but I landed in SJC yesterday and saw an AI-747 parked in the distance, ostensibly carrying the PM. Now I don't know - and have zero interest in knowing - what size of entourage he was carrying, but why does a VIP need a 747? Would the Exchequer not be better served with a smaller aircraft being used?

Well all I can say is....................
Mera Bharat Mahaan.

Most large countries fly similar aircraft.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_tr...and_government

still doesn't make it right....

It appears BLR folks are very disappointed with DEL-SFO decision, but I think it is good one.

I also think it will do well with VFR traffic just like EWR-BOM-AMD and ORD-DEL-HYD. That demography is very comfortable with Indian CCs and probably more comfortable with DEL/BOM airports than ME/EU connection.

Still cannot understand why DEL authorities cannot make life easier for connecting pax at DEL with such an excellent terminal. Or I am reading old news.

Pray tell why? A head of state travels will a large entourage for meetings in various areas as well as cabinet ministers and members of press. Plus for flights over hostile terrain most are equipped with flares and other counter measures. Why would not have the Indian pm have access to this is not clear to me. But then this is just a rhetorical discussion. It is what it is.

Now the flights are in the system. Nearly 16h outbound, 17h inbound.

The alternatives are 19.5 to 22h long:

Nice comparison via Amadeus there ^ Thanks

AI has the same DST-based arrival/departure time into SFO loaded as early as 02DEC! Screwing up the time zone for published flight timings is a ridiculous mistake - AI should really know better.

AI announces a free domestic roundtrip business class ticket to pax who purchase a roundtrip ticket on the DEL-SFO sector in First/Business.

Date of Booking on DEL-SFO sector: Oct 1, 2015 to January 15, 2016
Date of Travel for free tickets: Oct 1, 2015 to January 15, 2016

http://www.airindia.com/newsdetail.htm?586


Anyone looking to take advantage of this?

Future Discounts?
 

So what are the experts' predictions on the likelihood of discounts when AI finds it cannot fill its planes? Quantum? Channel?

Anyone flown on AI's 77L's lately? Seat guru shows 34'' pitch in Y, is that right?

Tempted to try this route as it does shave off significant time over SFO-EWR-DEL...

Pass! I'd rather keep my root canal appt :p

Some points on the DEL-SFO route:

• Initially scheduled for 3x weekly as AI has 3 B77L remaining, of which ALG is grounded. There are plans to make this route daily by Summer 16. Lack of equipment and / or crew to be sorted out by then.
  
• The entire B77L was due for a reconfiguration under the previous management. The F was expected to vanish from the B77L, resulting in an increased capacity in J and Y. But no update yet on this.
  
• No updates as to the DEL-BLR-DEL connectors yet. The B788 is already operating 2x daily, a little reshuffle is expected for the Winter 15 schedules. Will give more clarity on the connections. Having said that, it will definately not be a same-aircraft service, given the mandatory pre-screening for US bound pax at the last port of call.
  
• A 3x weekly is a fairly good way to test the waters for a ULH route. Lower Oil prices, *A membership, good slot timings at both O&D along with a well developed hub at DEL should support the loads. Hopefully the yields would be good as well!

Good Luck to AI! ^

Nice info, thanks ! :)

Ticketing AI on 016 stock
 

This is great news to see this flight. Does anyone know if it's possible to issue a J-class ticket on AI SFO-DEL on 016 stock? Assuming this would be needed for PQD for status on UA?

United will not allow you to plate an AI fare on UA ticketstock unless a significant interest exists (starting segment on UA, sold on UA codeshare etc)

AI nonstop BLR / DEL- SFO
 

How does connection work at DEL? For example, SFO-DEL-MAA.

Do I need to collect bags at DEL? Is it a terminal transfer?

I assume The return is just a simple connecting flight at DEL