Air India taking delivery of 6 A359 (ex SU)
#61
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: BLR
Programs: AA - EXP, Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, UK - Gold
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#62
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: ORD
Posts: 870
I hope that they rollout refurbishment across other aircrafts to have similar seat configuration. It will be shame to have nice refurbished long-haul planes in a few years and still having to play the guessing game of whether my flight will be 2x2x2 or 1x2x1 in business.
#63
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Goa, India
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I hope that they rollout refurbishment across other aircrafts to have similar seat configuration. It will be shame to have nice refurbished long-haul planes in a few years and still having to play the guessing game of whether my flight will be 2x2x2 or 1x2x1 in business.
#64
Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: MUC
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A second A359 (JRB) will join the fun in BLR starting 20 Feb:
https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/240205-aifeb24359
https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/240205-aifeb24359
Air India from late-February 2024 plans to expand Airbus A350-900XWB operations on domestic routes, followed by recent induction of 2nd aircraft. Planned A350 operation until 30MAR24 as follows.
Bangalore – Chennai – Hyderabad – Bangalore 6 weekly
Bangalore – Chennai – Mumbai – Bangalore eff 19FEB24 4 weekly
Bangalore – Delhi 1 weekly (2 weekly from 21FEB24)
Bangalore – Hyderabad – Chennai – Bangalore eff 19FEB24 4 weekly
Bangalore – Hyderabad – Mumbai – Bangalore eff 20FEB24 2 weekly
Bangalore – Mumbai – Chennai – Bangalore 6 weekly
Bangalore – Chennai – Hyderabad – Bangalore 6 weekly
Bangalore – Chennai – Mumbai – Bangalore eff 19FEB24 4 weekly
Bangalore – Delhi 1 weekly (2 weekly from 21FEB24)
Bangalore – Hyderabad – Chennai – Bangalore eff 19FEB24 4 weekly
Bangalore – Hyderabad – Mumbai – Bangalore eff 20FEB24 2 weekly
Bangalore – Mumbai – Chennai – Bangalore 6 weekly
#65
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: SEA once more (previously CDG and NRT)
Programs: Former DL DM and UA 1k, now a J class free agent (UA Gold, AS MVP Gold)
Posts: 2,450
Flew BLR-MAA-HYD on the new A350 in business class this last week. Cabin is nice, although one seat (5A) was already inoperable. No alcohol available since it was a domestic flight, food was ok, cabin crew service was good.
Seat is nice, but the lack of an armrest feels weird.
Seat is nice, but the lack of an armrest feels weird.
#67
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: BLR
Programs: AA - EXP, Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, UK - Gold
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Seems VT-JRE will do BOM-DEL-BOM rotations.. JRA and JRB are doing some forms of BLR-MAA-HYD-BOM-BLR rotations with some BLR-DEL on couple of days added.. must be difficult to have the A350 specific crews spread out - not sure of the strategy or where these A350s will be based (still assuming it will be DEL)
VT-JRE:
Timings AI864 BOM 07:00-09:15 DEL AI865 DEL 10:45-12:50 BOM
From 10 April, this aircraft will operate double daily flights on the same route. AI687 BOM 16:00-18:30 DEL AI805 DEL 20:00-22:25 BOM
Source:
VT-JRE:
Timings AI864 BOM 07:00-09:15 DEL AI865 DEL 10:45-12:50 BOM
From 10 April, this aircraft will operate double daily flights on the same route. AI687 BOM 16:00-18:30 DEL AI805 DEL 20:00-22:25 BOM
Source:
#68
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: China
Posts: 1,553
The strategy is to have as many short sectors as possible for training pilots, while they wait for DGAC ETOPS approval/ build up the pool of pilots large enough to start long haul flying (I don’t think they need ETOPs for Europe flights, as long as they don’t go over Tibet)
#69
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: BLR
Programs: AA - EXP, Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, UK - Gold
Posts: 1,224
The strategy is to have as many short sectors as possible for training pilots, while they wait for DGAC ETOPS approval/ build up the pool of pilots large enough to start long haul flying (I don’t think they need ETOPs for Europe flights, as long as they don’t go over Tibet)
#71
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: BLR
Programs: AA - EXP, Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, UK - Gold
Posts: 1,224
I dearly wish but dont think its likely till for another 2-3 years atleast till they stabilize product consistency on DEL/BOM INTL routes.. BLR really needs some INTL / hub love from AI (CEO has made comments for a south india hub before) - too many foreign airlines taking too much traffic.. Indigo just does the DXB/DOH/SIN/MLE daily but has now started HKT/DPS recently.. AI only does SIN/MLE daily and SFO 4x..
#73
Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: MUC
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JRH was delivered to AI on Monday April 8
Airbus A350 -941 592
VT-JRH Air India delivery 08apr24 TLS-DEL ex F-WHUI
https://www.skyliner-aviation.de/reg...LC=nav4&page=2
Airbus A350 -941 592
VT-JRH Air India delivery 08apr24 TLS-DEL ex F-WHUI
https://www.skyliner-aviation.de/reg...LC=nav4&page=2
#75
Join Date: Jul 2017
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