Birmingham: Air India Flights, New Routes & Schedule Updates

[Hassaan]

Some more info here:

http://www.routesonline.com/news/29/bre ... am-launch/

Expect an announcement in a few weeks. Shame it'll be the evening - little chance I'll be able to catch it in action. 😢 😀

 

[Ray Finkle]

It's unfortunate that Air India is currently in the state that it's in, it seems less of an airline and more of a political tool in a world where corruption leads the way. I heard it would be an August announcement with a view to a January start giving a sensible five months of advertising and seat sales, so one wonders just who has made the decision to have such a short lead in time, and could the route be pulled just as quickly as it starts? The market is definitely there and with the right strategy it will do well, but with Air India it wouldn't surprise me if in six months we see extra frequencies and/or another destination, equally it wouldn't surprise me if after two weeks of ops they disappeared without a trace. Sadly I fear the fate of the route may be a political decision rather than a business one.

Shame it'll be the evening - little chance I'll be able to catch it in action. 😢 😀

It's only 7pm, surely you are allowed to stay up that late 😉

 

[justplanecrazy]

Another link.....

http://airlineroute.net/2013/06/23/ai-bhx-aug13/

 

[Hassaan]

Another link.....

http://airlineroute.net/2013/06/23/ai-bhx-aug13/

Hmm, no booking details yet.

If they want to fill up the flights with short notice, then they'll have to promote the hell out of it. Billboards and the like.

 

[Ray Finkle]

They'll need the specialist travel agents along the Soho Road to really push the service hard in the early months.

 

[Ray Finkle]

So it's now available for travel agents to book with different flight numbers a slight change in the schedule but still down for an Aug 1st start.

AI113 DEL 1330 – 1800BHX 788 x357

AI114 BHX 2130 – 1005+1DEL 788 x357

 

[Ash]

That is a long time on the ground at BHX just to turnaround a 787.

 

[User0001]

It may be done so that it sits better with the connections 'banks' at the other end.

The daily EY21/22 flight at MAN arrives around 2pm and doesn't depart again until 21:00 for this reason too, and the Qantas flights at LHR sit on the ground for over 12 hours, so, suddenly 3hours 30mins doesn't seem so bad!

 

[Ray Finkle]

Still nothing on either BHX's or Air India's websites all though they could be planning a joint press release. I'll be convinced when the first 787 is on stand 🙄

Air India to launch Birmingham-Delhi direct flights from August 1

LONDON: Air India will launch direct flights between Birmingham and New Delhi from August 1, with its new Boeing 787-800 'Dreamliner' aircraft, it was announced today.

The flights will operate four times a week - Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, arriving from Delhi into Birmingham at 1900 hours and departing to Delhi from Birmingham at 2130 hours.

According to a release, the 256 seat B787-800 series aircraft has a split cabin, consisting of 18 business class and 238 economy seats.

Martyn Lloyd, Commercial Director of Birmingham Airport, said: "This is fantastic news for our region and we're delighted that Air India has recognised the strong demand that lies in our catchment and will be operating the new Dreamliner aircraft on the route.

Full article: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/new ... 734428.cms

 

[Hassaan]

They could easily pull out before - it's not unheard of. But, so far so good.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Nothing with Air India is unheard of.

 

[Ray Finkle]

From the Air India Facebook page.

The magic of Maharajah is soon going to spread to three new cities. Can you guess their names?

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/ ... 6774_n.jpg

 

[Ray Finkle]

It's been bookable on various search engines for while but it's now bookable on Air India's website, there's some nice fares at the moment too.

 

[Aviador]

It's been a long time in coming but at last it looks like it's finally coming to fruition.

 

[Ray Finkle]

The airport have now added an article to their site.

Air India launches Delhi from August 1st
03 July 2013


Birmingham Airport and Air India are delighted to announce that from 1st August 2013, flights between Birmingham Airport and Delhi will operate four times weekly, using the new Boeing 787-8 ‘Dreamliner’ aircraft.

Flights will operate each Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, arriving from Delhi into Birmingham at 1900 and departing to Delhi from Birmingham at 2130.

The 256 seat B787-8 series aircraft has a split cabin, consisting of 18 business class and 238 economy seats. Birmingham is only the second UK airport to operate dedicated Boeing 787 scheduled services.

Martyn Lloyd, Commercial Director of Birmingham Airport, explained, “This is fantastic news for our region and we’re delighted that Air India has recognised the strong demand that lies in our catchment and will be operating the new Dreamliner aircraft on the route.

“There’s been significant support from the City, and indeed the region, for a direct service to India and we’re pleased to see that direct flights are now available on a brand new aircraft which will give passengers a fantastic experience. We also thank everyone involved who has worked tirelessly to make this happen, particularly our Brand Ambassador for Asian Markets, Uday Dholakia.”

Sir Albert Bore, Leader of Birmingham City Council, said: “Birmingham has a proud reputation as a diverse city, with residents from the wider Indian subcontinent the fastest growing group, according to the 2011 census. It makes a great deal of sense for there to be a direct flight between Delhi and Birmingham, rather than just London, and so I am delighted that Air India will be operating flights to India from Birmingham from 1 August. I am sure the service will also be welcomed by the Midlands’ business and leisure community.”

According to FDI Markets, the West Midlands receives more foreign direct investment from India than any other region outside London. Globally, the UK is the third largest recipient of Indian investment, behind only the UAE and the USA.

Neil Rami, CEO of Marketing Birmingham, commented: “This really is a major step forward for us. The city has a strong track record in attracting Indian investment – due to its close links to other European locations and strengths in sectors such as manufacturing and logistics – which has supported some 24,000 local jobs in the past decade. Air India’s commitment to a direct route to Delhi is a significant development in securing and growing further Indian investment and tourism into Birmingham.”

Uday Dholakia, Birmingham Airport’s Brand Ambassador for Asian Markets, added: “I am repeatedly told by the Midlands Indian community that they want direct connectivity from their region to India to enhance trade and to reach family members easily, so this news will be greatly welcomed by business and leisure travellers.

“I congratulate the Airport team for their determination to secure the route and reaching this deal with Air India; they have never lost sight of the local need for the service. It is particularly great news that the brand new Dreamliner will be operated on the route and we urge agents and independent travellers to use the Birmingham-Delhi service going forward.”

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner is a long-range, mid-size wide-body, twin-engine jet airliner which entered into commercial service in October last year. Boeing states that it is the company's most fuel-efficient airliner and the world's first major airliner to use composite materials as the primary material in the construction of its airframe. The 787 has been designed to be 20% more fuel efficient than the 767 it is to replace.

Tickets are on sale via http://www.airindia.com.

http://www.birminghamairport.co.uk/meta ... ticle.aspx

 

[Hassaan]

Looks like it's definitely happening then. :dance: :good:

 

[Ray Finkle]

Yup, from the AI website.

Air India launches flights to Birmingham

July 4, 2013.

Air India is set to introduce a flight from Amritsar and Delhi to Birmingham on four days a week from August 1, 2013.

This will be the fourth Air India flight to UK from India. Earlier in June this year, Air India had introduced its B-787 Dreamliner services to London, which was the third flight to the city from India. Air India is offering attractive inaugural fares on the Delhi-Birmingham-Delhi sector for a limited period with a free add on sector from Delhi to Ahmedabad, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode.

The new flight introduced by Air India will operate on the Amritsar-Delhi-Birmingham-Delhi-Amritsar route with the state-of-the-art Dreamliner aircraft on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. The flight from Amritsar will leave at 1030 hrs, reach Delhi at 1150 hrs. AI-113 will depart from Delhi at 1330 hrs and reach Birmingham at 1800 hrs. The return flight AI-114 will take off from Birmingham at 2130 hrs and reach Delhi the next day at 1005 hrs. The flight for Amritsar will leave Delhi at 1205 hrs and arrive in Amritsar at 1305 hrs.

Air India's direct flight from Delhi to Birmingham will not only fulfill the needs of the ethnic community to fly to India direct but also help to develop better tourism and trade relations in general.

Air India at present operates 21 flights to London per week, seven on the Mumbai-London-sector, and 14 on the Delhi-London sector

http://www.airindia.com/SBCMS/Webpages/ ... ngham.aspx


Interesting that it says The new flight introduced by Air India will operate on the Amritsar-Delhi-Birmingham-Delhi-Amritsar route as the connection is a change of aircraft in Delhi with an A321 flying DEL-ATQ. Still well done to all concerned :hatsoff:

 

[Hassaan]

Who bets that it'll end up becoming daily before the end of the year? I mean, people have been campaigning for this service for years, so it will be put to use well.

 

[CL44]

Who bets that it'll end up becoming daily before the end of the year? I mean, people have been campaigning for this service for years, so it will be put to use well.

I applaud your enthusiasm and welcome this new service into BHX. However just like the AA and US service once the flights start arriving they are going to have to be used (use it or loose it springs to mind).

AI are going to have to do a heck of a lot of publicity for this service for it to work (and stand a chance of making any money).

The big thing that will help AI is the cargo capacity on board the flights. Please do not forget it is not just about the "bums on seats", it is what is loaded underneath that can help make or break a route from potential loss in potential profit.

I have previously said on this forum (and others) that I welcome any Airline starting a new service from BHX (it makes my life as a cargo agent easier after all), but until the flight proves it's worth to the Airline and to its customers (i.e. people like me, and thousands of others like me) I will continue to use alternative options for my clients. I have been burned by too many Airlines promising the world and not delivering to be caught out again any time soon. I look forward to being proved wrong on this matter.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Who bets that it'll end up becoming daily before the end of the year? I mean, people have been campaigning for this service for years, so it will be put to use well.

CL44 makes some very good points. I'd also add that this flight has a ridiculously short lead in time, new long haul services are usually announced what, 4-6 months in advance, whereas this has had three weeks! From what I hear local travel agents will be pushing the service but I'd expect very low loads in the first few months. If Air India are committed then I see no reason why in time it can't become daily, in my opinion the end of the year is probably slightly optimistic.