Australia signs Open Skies agreement with India

[Mattg]

I wonder if this will lead to more direct flights between Australia and India? At the moment it's just Air India from SYD/MEL to DEL.

Australia and India sign open skies agreement

 

[docjames]

MEL has a huge Indian diaspora. Hopefully this allows more nonstop flights to BOM and DEL on a sustainable basis. It’s a route screaming for QF and the 787 in a “mid-haul” config.

 

[samh004]

I know QF is looking towards direct services to Europe, but SYD-BOM-LHR would almost be equal flight lengths on both legs... perhaps a much nicer experience than SIN or DXB.

 

[RooFlyer]

As I mentioned in a recent TR, the international terminal at BOM, is pretty swish!

 

[samh004]

As I mentioned in a recent TR, the international terminal at BOM, is pretty swish!

I wonder if they were allowed to sell tickets to/from BOM (fifth freedom?) if it would be a lucrative route for them?

 

[SeatBackForward]

QF uses to fly direct SYD to BOM. From memory it was a 14hr flight?

I remember seeing Sachin Tendulkar whisked onto the same flight as me. This was about 98 I think.

 

[dajop]

QF uses to fly direct SYD to BOM. From memory it was a 14hr flight?

I remember seeing Sachin Tendulkar whisked onto the same flight as me. This was about 98 I think.

For quite a while they did flights SYD-SIN-BOM, or SYD-BNE-BOM, and some time they did BOM-SYD non stop, but on the outbound had a fuel stop in DRW.

 

[Mattg]

Apparently Vistara and IndiGo are interested in starting flights to Australia. Not sure how they plan to do that with A320s - it would probably have to be a one-stop service to Perth unless they acquired larger aircraft.

Increased direct flights between Australia and India likely soon

 

[jb747]

QF also flew Melbourne-Bombay. It was about 12 hours.

 

[Daver6]

Back in the 80's I recall flying PER-SIN-BOM-LHR a few times. I recall one had the option to either remain on the aircraft of head into the terminal in BOM. My mother ventured into the terminal....she regretted that.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Nice idea the open skies, but I wonder the demand? AI barely seems to be able to make it work (they were rumoured to be losing a substantial amount of money. QF doesn't fly it anymore. Maybe one of the Indian LCCs could lease an aircraft for it - but they'd need more than 2 frames to be able to run a daily service which could push out their costs.

 

[Mattg]

I wonder if Emirates would be interested in a fifth-freedom tag flight such as DXB-BOM-SYD?

 

[jb747]

Realistically, it's an LCC route....

 

[dj_james]

Realistically, it's an LCC route....

Indeed - most Indians make the Scottish look like flagrant overspenders...

 

[samh004]

Realistically, it's an LCC route....

If Jetstar picked up some more 787's would this be a good expansion of their network?

 

[jb747]

I very much doubt that it would be profitable at any level, by anyone.

 

[SeatBackForward]

Nice idea the open skies, but I wonder the demand? AI barely seems to be able to make it work (they were rumoured to be losing a substantial amount of money. QF doesn't fly it anymore. Maybe one of the Indian LCCs could lease an aircraft for it - but they'd need more than 2 frames to be able to run a daily service which could push out their costs.

Yes only AI offer this as a direct service at present, but even Indians have standards and AI is admittedly a very bad airline.

Getting from AUS to India is quite well serviced by connections in SIN, KUL, BKK or HKG and those routes at least offer a decent airline choice.

 

[SeatBackForward]

I very much doubt that it would be profitable at any level, by anyone.

Is this based on pax numbers or because of the costs (monetary and otherwise) of flying into India?

 

[GoldCanyon340]

As I mentioned in a recent TR, the international terminal at BOM, is pretty swish!

BLR is decent too.

 

[dj_james]

I very much doubt that it would be profitable at any level, by anyone.

JB - did you ever fly to India, perhaps in your 767 days?

I recall reading somewhere that apparently the Bombay flights were the least preferred routes for both pilots and cabin crew when "bidding" for rosters?