Air India’s direct Delhi-New York, Mumbai-Washington flights soon; Kolkata-Washington service from December 1, 2009

Air India’s new direct Delhi-New York, Mumbai-Washington flights soon; Kolkata-Washington service from December 1, 2009.

Air India, the national flag-carrier airline of India, is revamping its existing flight schedule as well as launching new flights in the winter of 2009.

The restructuring includes 2 direct flights to the United States from October 25, 2009: one flight between New Delhi, the capital city of India, and New York; and the other between Mumbai, the country’s commercial capital, and Washington.

In addition, Air India is launching daily flights between Kolkata and Washington from December 1, 2009, with stops in New Delhi and New York.

The fights originating from Kolkata will arrive at Washington Dulles International Airport at 9:30 a.m. and will leave Washington at 12.10 p.m. This timing – valid from December 1, 2009, to December 14, 2009 – will change from December 15, 2009, when the flight will land in Washington Dulles International Airport at 8.10 a.m. and take off from there 1.10 p.m.

Air India said it will operate the state-of-the-art Boeing 777 LR plane on the Kolkata-Washington route.

The airline is also revising the time of departure of the last flights on the Delhi-Mumbai route, on both sides, from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. for the convenience of business travellers.

Air India is considering signing a code-share agreement with the United-based airlines United Airlines and US Airways, according to an official of the airline.

The airline has drawn up schemes to attract passengers from different destinations in South-East Asia – including Thailand and Bangladesh – to its long-haul flights to the United States by offering connecting flights from the South-East Asian countries to India.

In its efforts to jack up revenues, Air India is rearranging its current flight schedule on its domestic routes with a view to catering to corporate travellers, the said.

Air India will use brand-new planes for its services to destinations in the West as also to Japan, aimed at enhancing passenger occupancy. The Airbus A330 aircraft now being used on the India-Tokyo and the India-Paris routes will be replaced with Boeing B777 aircraft during the forthcoming winter schedule. These new planes will come with on-board entertainment systems.

The debt-ridden Air India suffered a loss of as much as Rs 5,000 crore in 2008-09, mainly because of the very high prices of aviation turbine fuel (ATF) as well as the decline in demand for air travel.

The national carrier has sought financial aid from the government to overcome its monetary crisis.

Air India has already borrowed over Rs 16,000 crore towards meeting its working capital requirements, the official said, adding that paying of interest for the borrowings constitute about 40% of the airline’s total losses. The borrowings were made to buy aircraft as well as to meet costs of depreciation.

Air India has a market share of 16.6% as regards domestic travel, and 33% in the case of international travel.

Meanwhile, Air India has plans to join the Star Alliance as a working member.

According to the official of Air India, a membership in the Star Alliance would give the carrier a boost in its business as well as help enhance passenger load factors.

At present, Star Alliance – which has 21 full members and 3 regional members – operates 17,000 flights daily to and from 916 destinations in 160 countries.