| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
XBValk
Member
Joined: 27 Jan 2007
Posts: 124
Location: NYC/COK
|
 Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2007 12:42 am Post subject: How many Slots Does AI have at LHR |
 |
|
I'm wondering with the new EU-US Open skies deal, does AI hold any significant number of slots at LHR, maybe they can sell them that’s if they have the slots in the first place.  |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Nimish
Member
Joined: 16 Dec 2006
Posts: 9757
Location: Bangalore, India
|
| Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2007 12:11 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| It would make sense for AI to now maximize the revenue from those slots by selling them to the highest bidder. They can then move their US services to a lower cost airport like BHX or BEG or something else, and retain LHR only for the terminator services. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
maut3000
Member
Joined: 14 Mar 2007
Posts: 160
Location: Mumbai
|
| Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2007 3:40 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Nimish wrote: | | .... selling them to the highest bidder. |
AI has 21 slots per week at Heathrow. Having a slot at LHR is a prestige issue among all airlines. See how delighted Continental was when open skies agreement between US/UK came up. AI would never give the slots up. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Nimish
Member
Joined: 16 Dec 2006
Posts: 9757
Location: Bangalore, India
|
| Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2007 4:09 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| maut3000 wrote: | | AI has 21 slots per week at Heathrow. Having a slot at LHR is a prestige issue among all airlines. See how delighted Continental was when open skies agreement between US/UK came up. AI would never give the slots up. |
I understand it's a prestige issue, but at the end of the day when you have to pay Boeing for your 43 a/c, you need all the money you can get!
There was a point in time 30-40 years ago when flying BOM-LHR-JFK made sense, but today AI probably does not get much high-yielding traffic on the LHR-JFK sectors, it's mainly through traffic from India or low yielding traffic on that sector.
Hence it's probably better for them to sell the slot they use for LHR-JFK, and make it a terminator at LHR. And fly to JFK non-stop or via a much cheaper airport in Europe.
I'm in agreement with you that AI will probably never actually do this. But this would be a commercially smart thing for AI to do. Unless they plan to use those slots for their own benefit and start HYD-LHR and MAA-LHR non-stops, that would probably be for the best  |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
superman
Member
Joined: 22 Mar 2007
Posts: 42
Location: USA
|
| Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2007 4:17 pm Post subject: |
|
|
AI has peak hour slots at LHR; something that they will never get in the future (unless they are willing to spend a fortune) if they ever sell those slots. With the hope that AI will clean up its current mess, their LHR-JFK and LHR-ORD service will make a lot of many given the British penchant for Indian food and everything Indian these days!
I look forward to the glories that AI used to command before nationalization. It supposedly was the most preferred carrier on the LHR-JFK route due to its punctuality, service and food.. I hope those days come again soon... |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
XBValk
Member
Joined: 27 Jan 2007
Posts: 124
Location: NYC/COK
|
| Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2007 9:20 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| If AI has 21 slots per week how many of them do they utilize on weekly basis? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Prajay
Member
Joined: 11 Feb 2007
Posts: 217
Location: Mumbai, India
|
| Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2007 3:57 am Post subject: |
|
|
They use all the slots in my view.
Count the no. of flights daily.
We should know the figure i think.
AI connects LHR to BOM,AMD,ORD(x2 weekly),JFK.
 Prajay |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
sammyk
Member
Joined: 20 Dec 2006
Posts: 2719
Location: Austin, TX
|
| Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2007 7:58 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Air India has some of the best slots at Heathrow. It would be stupid of them to sell them. Now if they didn't need some of them maybe they could lease them out or something but to sell them and possibly lose them forever would be a bad idea. If I recall they did lease some to Virgin a few years back. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
maut3000
Member
Joined: 14 Mar 2007
Posts: 160
Location: Mumbai
|
| Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2007 1:30 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Nimish wrote: |
There was a point in time 30-40 years ago when flying BOM-LHR-JFK made sense,
Hence it's probably better for them to sell the slot they use for LHR-JFK, and make it a terminator at LHR. And fly to JFK non-stop or via a much cheaper airport in Europe.
|
Could't agree more... that is whyI think AI is waiting for their BOM-JFK non-stop to begin for things to change.
| XBValk wrote: |
If AI has 21 slots per week how many of them do they utilize on weekly basis?
|
All of them. At busy airports like LHR, FRA, etc., there is a clause with allotment of slots. It says that airlines will lose their slots, if they do not utilise 80% (or some figur of that sort) of the slots in a season. For eg., AI might lose their slots at LAX after the discontinuation of their BOM-FRA-LAX flights.
So, AI is utilizing all slots at LHR.
7 LHR-JFK
3 LHR-ORD
8 BOM/AMD-LHR terminators
3 CCU-LHR terminators |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
