Air India to launch Melbourne-Delhi

[futaris]

Air India to launch Melbourne-Delhi

Air India will launch daily direct services between Melbourne and Delhi from November 1.

Melbourne airport chief executive Chris Woodruff described the development as “exceptional news” for the state.

Another (joining) Star Alliance Member serving MEL to add to Air New Zealand, Singapore Airlines and Thai Airways.

 

[anat0l]

There were some nervous giggles / chuckles going around the congregation last year at Star Mega Do 1 when the CEO of the Star Alliance mentioned that Air India was jumping on board with the Alliance.

Not sure why....

 

[Aussie_flyer]

Air India to launch Melbourne-Delhi



Another (joining) Star Alliance Member serving MEL to add to Air New Zealand, Singapore Airlines and Thai Airways.

.... and United and Air China

 

[docjames]

Into the age today

Melbourne wins Air India service


Vic government subsidy for advertising in India, plus regional base in MEL.

Interesting to see how they go, Qantas could never make any money flying SYD-BOM direct.

 

[browski]

Wow, what wonderful news. Gee, I hope the arrival time into Delhi is not ungodly.

What a great addition for us lowly MEL dwellers. Sooooooooooo nice not to have to transit in SYD, SIN, KUL or BKK.

In conjunction with these 3 recent new services:
MEL-JNB on V Australia
MEL-KUL on Emirates
MEL-AUH on Etihad

Work travel just got better.

 

[UP4014]

I won't be rushing to use Air India's service.

Nothing personal, but Air India is not my cuppa tea.

 

[Sprucegoose]

I won't be rushing to use Air India's service.

Nothing personal, but Air India is not my cuppa tea.

mmmmm 10 fatal air crashes - one can see why.

SPRUCE

 

[pauly7]

I won't be rushing to use Air India's service.

Nothing personal, but Air India is not my cuppa tea.

Air India is on our work 'black list' I.e not deemed safe enough uby our insurers.... Just wondering what their track record is to earn this?....

Garuda is still banned as well (thankfully)

 

[anat0l]

mmmmm 10 fatal air crashes - one can see why.

Only one of those has happened in the last 10 years, although it happened this year.

A few of those fatal crashes have been terrorist related.

In saying that, for some reason I still don't feel entirely comfortable flying them, but I have no rational answer. Kind of the same reason I still don't feel entirely comfortable flying Garuda.

 

[browski]

Slightly off topic, but just out of curiosity....

If there was a fatal crash on JetStar, would this statistic be recorded against Qantas?

 

[anat0l]

If there was a fatal crash on JetStar, would this statistic be recorded against Qantas?

In all sense of procedure, no.

In practice, QF, being the largest company in the Qantas Group, will probably cop the flak big time (although not quite to the same degree as if QF itself had a fatal crash).

 

[somebol]

In all sense of procedure, no.

In practice, QF, being the largest company in the Qantas Group, will probably cop the flak big time (although not quite to the same degree as if QF itself had a fatal crash).

Similarly the airline involved in the crash this year was Air India Express a low cost offshoot... not Air India.

Air India has improved leaps & bounds compared to what they were in the 90s.

 

[cmon0005]

Interesting to see how they go, Qantas could never make any money flying SYD-BOM direct.

To be fair I think the reason the route wasn't deemed viable was due to the GFC as they canned the route during that time.
If they re-started the route now I think it would be a different story. My company for example flys lots of employee's to India every month for short visits, in Business class, and they would love to see a direct flight come back to this route.

 

[Aussie_flyer]

There surely IS a market for this route. Have you seen how many Indian people live in Melbourne? It's a very large number. With Air India's domestic network out of Delhi this flight will be very handy to a lot of Indian's living in Melbourne and in Australia.

Agree Air India isn't the best but Star Alliance will not have accepted them if thing's have not improved significantly in all areas.

Cheers,

d

 

[somebol]

There surely IS a market for this route. Have you seen how many Indian people live in Melbourne? It's a very large number. With Air India's domestic network out of Delhi this flight will be very handy to a lot of Indian's living in Melbourne and in Australia.

Agree Air India isn't the best but Star Alliance will not have accepted them if thing's have not improved significantly in all areas.

Cheers,

d

you are quite right... but it all depends on when the flights arrive in DEL.
If arriving at OMG hour most connections would be on the following day. In that case most people would prefer to connect in sin/kul/bkk direct to their final destination, rather than wait in del.

 

[markis10]

There surely IS a market for this route. Have you seen how many Indian people live in Melbourne? It's a very large number. With Air India's domestic network out of Delhi this flight will be very handy to a lot of Indian's living in Melbourne and in Australia.

Agree Air India isn't the best but Star Alliance will not have accepted them if thing's have not improved significantly in all areas.

Cheers,

d

There has not been a market in the past, operations to Sydney were withdrawn as they continued to be uneconomic. The last flight AI-424/431 was operated on the India /Sydney sector on January 31, 1991, previously they had flown direct PER then SYD/MEL back to PER.

 

[Aussie_flyer]

There has not been a market in the past, operations to Sydney were withdrawn as they continued to be uneconomic. The last flight AI-424/431 was operated on the India /Sydney sector on January 31, 1991, previously they had flown direct PER then SYD/MEL back to PER.

Things have changed significantly since 1991. And Melbourne has a far larger Indian/Sri Lankan community than sydney.

 

[markis10]

Things have changed significantly since 1991. And Melbourne has a far larger Indian/Sri Lankan community than sydney.

I am not saying they have not changed, but with the more recent demise of Sri Lankan and Qantas indicates all is not well despite the largest local base of Indian and Sri Lankan expats, in Sri Lanka's case the largest population not living there lives in Melbourne!

 

[Dalescott]

I would use it. Let's face it there are so many low cost airlines around today. I don't think it matters. There are also the Chinese airlines coming into the market as well.
Besides traveling via Delhi, will make a change from Singapore, Bangkok, Dubai, Doho, etc etc etc. Tried to use the Air India web site, no Melbourne yet.

 

[qf unfort]

I would use it. Let's face it there are so many low cost airlines around today. I don't think it matters. There are also the Chinese airlines coming into the market as well.
Besides traveling via Delhi, will make a change from Singapore, Bangkok, Dubai, Doho, etc etc etc. Tried to use the Air India web site, no Melbourne yet.

Anyone got any idea when this will be bookable? As keen as I am to keep earning my QF points, I suspect AI will have some good offers to Europe. Would be great if Kingfisher starts a similar route too - India's a great place and its nice to see more new options to Europe from Melb via this great place.