Help. Stuck in India. Need to get back to US
Jul 28, 2020, 5:47 am
#106
Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: MUC
Programs: LH SEN
Posts: 48,186
Had to laugh when I read this article: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com...w/77199931.cms
Really sad to see such a misuse of a pandemic....
These flights are also a realisation of a big-time push by aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri, who has always wanted Indian airlines to fly long-haul international directly and take away traffic from international carriers that fly passengers through various hubs.
Jul 28, 2020, 7:58 am
#107
Join Date: Jul 2017
Programs: KrisFlyer Gold, Marriott & SPG Plat, Hilton Gold, ShangriLa Jade, Enterprise Plat, Taj Gold
Posts: 3,345
“Repatriation flights have high demand, and as per MOCA data 2/3 of that demand is being met through foreign airlines and charters. Long haul repatriation flights are especially lucrative as with the air bubbles, seats can be sold in both directions and at healthy fares given the high demand and short supply, especially as 6th freedom (or flights connecting via third countries) are not permitted under the bubbles,” said Sanjiv Kapoor, who has held key management positions at both SpiceJet and Vistara.
AI flying exclusive routes and gouging customers was bad. And UA came in and hammered their prices down on the US flights.
Jul 28, 2020, 8:31 am
#108
Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: MUC
Programs: LH SEN
Posts: 48,186
Nothing wrong with any 'new' airline getting in on the act, just like it is defined via the bilateral between NL and India. (21 flights by KLM and AI each per week: http://164.100.60.133/bilateral/Bilateral.pdf ) This artificial curtailment of supply is hurting the consumer...
Jul 28, 2020, 12:38 pm
#109
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 368
IMO, if these are still considered "repatriation" flights, then they should be operated solely for that purpose. But that is not happening.
By creating these bubbles, the onus now lies with passengers & travel agents as compared to the embassies. With that, the goal to assist stuck citizens is not being achieved, causing inconvenience, confusion and mental stress to many. And to add, another issue is that Govts and airlines will now misuse the "bubble" clause to bend rules, which means, we will now only see the pandemic get worse. Both USA and India are perfect examples as by creating these bubbles between two covid19 hot-spots, there won't be much vetting and the pandemic will only get worse.
By creating these bubbles, the onus now lies with passengers & travel agents as compared to the embassies. With that, the goal to assist stuck citizens is not being achieved, causing inconvenience, confusion and mental stress to many. And to add, another issue is that Govts and airlines will now misuse the "bubble" clause to bend rules, which means, we will now only see the pandemic get worse. Both USA and India are perfect examples as by creating these bubbles between two covid19 hot-spots, there won't be much vetting and the pandemic will only get worse.
Jul 28, 2020, 1:25 pm
#110
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 1,018
This is so true.
Again, so true!
We have now had so many many stories of various people stuck (especially India / USA). And some of these stories are very sad.
A dear friend lost her father...and could not make it to the funeral in India. They finally decided to not go at all...as the process was quite complicated (in the early days of VB missions).
On the other hand - some other people flew India-USA on AI ..and got tickets as they "knew someone" in the right places, etc.
IMO, if these are still considered "repatriation" flights, then they should be operated solely for that purpose. But that is not happening.
By creating these bubbles, the onus now lies with passengers & travel agents as compared to the embassies. With that, the goal to assist stuck citizens is not being achieved, causing inconvenience, confusion and mental stress to many..
By creating these bubbles, the onus now lies with passengers & travel agents as compared to the embassies. With that, the goal to assist stuck citizens is not being achieved, causing inconvenience, confusion and mental stress to many..
We have now had so many many stories of various people stuck (especially India / USA). And some of these stories are very sad.
A dear friend lost her father...and could not make it to the funeral in India. They finally decided to not go at all...as the process was quite complicated (in the early days of VB missions).
On the other hand - some other people flew India-USA on AI ..and got tickets as they "knew someone" in the right places, etc.
Jul 29, 2020, 1:09 am
#111
Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: MUC
Programs: LH SEN
Posts: 48,186
This entire VB and 'bubble' thing is a scam to keep out competition and ensure a steady stream of visitors with suitcases to the Hon Minister and his minions to get their own exemption. If he had the Indian consumer in mind he could have suspended all bilaterals until 2023 and allow any Indian airline and any airline the other country to operate as many flights as they like. If there is demand companies will deploy capacity there. If they can't do so effeciently, they will lose out to those who can, even if it means that the traffic goes via the hubs of the EU3 or ME3.
Jul 29, 2020, 1:52 am
#112
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: India
Programs: Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, IHG Plat, HH Gold, Trident Plat, DL Diamond, AI Maharajah
Posts: 29,680
VB Mission schedule till Aug 30
https://www.civilaviation.gov.in/sit...le_flights.pdf
So possibly no regular international arrivals/departures till that date (except for the flights approved such as AI, UA, etc)
https://www.civilaviation.gov.in/sit...le_flights.pdf
So possibly no regular international arrivals/departures till that date (except for the flights approved such as AI, UA, etc)
Jul 29, 2020, 4:18 am
#113
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 1,018
as i mentioned in another thread, my contact at air india told me there will be no regular scheduled flights till the 6th of september....however, vistara has started selling tickets to some international destinations from the 12th of august onward....my mother needs to travel to singapore so have booked her on a 14th august flight....lets see what happens....
Good luck to your mother.
Jul 29, 2020, 10:57 am
#115
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 1,018
This tweet is hillarious... as are the responses.
https://twitter.com/MoCA_GoI/status/1288425454332809216
https://twitter.com/MoCA_GoI/status/1288425454332809216
Jul 29, 2020, 11:03 am
#116
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 368
This tweet is hillarious... as are the responses.
https://twitter.com/MoCA_GoI/status/1288425454332809216
https://twitter.com/MoCA_GoI/status/1288425454332809216
Just reading thru Twitter (search for "Air India") shows the severity of the pandemic on air travel. Read one AI passenger showing helplessness when he/she had 5 flights cancelled. AI is not issuing any refunds. So I can see a long battle with customer service.
Jul 30, 2020, 1:18 am
#117
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: India
Programs: Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, IHG Plat, HH Gold, Trident Plat, DL Diamond, AI Maharajah
Posts: 29,680
battle will follow once you can get in touch with customer service....that is not easy to do at the moment....
their flying returns department is still not functioning & even getting through to their regular customer service is a task....very often you will stay on hold for half an hour or more, only to get connected to their customer satisfaction survey the moment someone picks up the phone....last week i called for 3 days straight & i could barely hear the agent every time someone picked up....the voice was so faint that i had to hang up....happened over a dozen times....
their flying returns department is still not functioning & even getting through to their regular customer service is a task....very often you will stay on hold for half an hour or more, only to get connected to their customer satisfaction survey the moment someone picks up the phone....last week i called for 3 days straight & i could barely hear the agent every time someone picked up....the voice was so faint that i had to hang up....happened over a dozen times....
Jul 30, 2020, 3:01 am
#119
Join Date: Jul 2017
Programs: KrisFlyer Gold, Marriott & SPG Plat, Hilton Gold, ShangriLa Jade, Enterprise Plat, Taj Gold
Posts: 3,345
Nothing wrong with any 'new' airline getting in on the act, just like it is defined via the bilateral between NL and India. (21 flights by KLM and AI each per week: http://164.100.60.133/bilateral/Bilateral.pdf ) This artificial curtailment of supply is hurting the consumer...
Interestingly enough it looks like SG is flying this route because the plane (being wet leased along with crew from Hifly Portugal) is somewhere around AMS. Rather than spend money on the flying an empty aircraft to India.. they've decided to try and pick up some pax on the way here.
I'm not sure if this is going to be a regular route for SG. They might keep it to do UK or US runs. Probably UK because they can't do US runs with just 1 plane.
Last edited by PiperAtGatesofDawn; Jul 30, 2020 at 4:05 am
Jul 31, 2020, 6:46 am
#120
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: BLR
Programs: AA - EXP, Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, UK - Gold
Posts: 1,224
So anyone booking AI for VBM - please keep monitoring your reservation daily! My DEL-ORD was changed from 13 to 12 to 9th and today morning found it magically changed to 1st August (today late evening, tomorrow AM!!) ... cancelled all AI and now booked UA as they have loaded full schedule till 31st August!