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avbuff Member
Joined: 22 Dec 2006 Posts: 5031
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Posted: Tue Nov 24, 2009 6:46 pm Post subject: |
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Expect some surprising announcements, more new destinations and frequency increases. |
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jasepl Member
Joined: 26 Jul 2008 Posts: 4257 Location: bund-bay
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Posted: Tue Nov 24, 2009 8:09 pm Post subject: |
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avbuff wrote: | Expect some surprising announcements, more new destinations and frequency increases. |
From Qatar Air? Or Air India? _________________ four years free of jetya punti! |
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avbuff Member
Joined: 22 Dec 2006 Posts: 5031
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Posted: Tue Nov 24, 2009 9:51 pm Post subject: |
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jasepl wrote: | avbuff wrote: | Expect some surprising announcements, more new destinations and frequency increases. |
From Qatar Air? Or Air India? |
From both.
Actually Qatar is free from mainline AI nonsense. As of now Qatar has 13 weekly services to India by Air India Express which includes DOH - IXE/CCJ-COK/BOM |
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Jaysit Member
Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 4346
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Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2009 4:23 am Post subject: |
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Anyone know what AI 744 Manmohan Singh is using on his US State visit to Washington, DC? |
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avbuff Member
Joined: 22 Dec 2006 Posts: 5031
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Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2009 5:19 am Post subject: |
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Jaysit wrote: | Anyone know what AI 744 Manmohan Singh is using on his US State visit to Washington, DC? |
VT - EVA : Agra |
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karatecatman Guest
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Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2009 11:12 pm Post subject: |
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Obama State Dinner with Indian PM Singh: a harbinger for increased air service between US and India?
November 25
Austin International Travel Examiner
Robert Schrader
Speculation is running wild about the potential implications of Indian Prime Minister's recent visit to Washington for Barack Obama's first State Dinner. Cooperation on the War in Afghanistan? Further progress on making peace in Kashmir region, over which the world's largest democracy maintains a control dispute with Pakistan? More open economic policies?
How about increased air service?
In addition to services offered by Air India, India's national carrier, who serves the New York City, Chicago and Washington, D.C. metropolitan areas from its Mumbai and New Delhi hubs, two U.S. airlines currently serve the subcontinent: American Airlines, to New Delhi, from Chicago O'Hare and Continental Airlines, to Mumbai and Delhi, from its Newark, NJ hub. While Delta Air Lines still serves Mumbai one-stop via Amsterdam, it abandoned its highly lauded New York (later Atlanta)-Mumbai route, which saw the debut of its 777-200LR aircraft in April 2008. Discontinued in late September, the route, which clocked in at 17:55 westbound, was marred by low yields, resulting from the slight number of full-fare Business class passengers to utilize the service, whose length and aircraft utilization placed heavy cost burdens on the World's largest airlines.
Proponents of new service between the two nations suggest two possible gateways: Washington, DC's Dulles Airport (on United) and Houston's George Bush Intercontinental, either on Continental, who operates a hub at the airport, or Air India, who has been rumored to start service to the Texan energy capital for years. According to a New York Times report from March, which utilized data from the 2000 census, Washington, DC, which is already served by Air India to Delhi, has a foreign-born Indian population in excess of 80,000, while Houston sits a few spots lower at around 41,000. Additionally, Air India is set to join Star Alliance in 2010. United, which operates a hub at Dulles, is a founding member of the airline partnership.
While it is expected that the number of foreign-born Indians inhabiting US cities has increased significantly (and across the board) in the near decade since the last census, many state that Washington's current nonstop to New Delhi is adequate to serve both its populations as well as the diplomatic links which are sure to increase following the aforementioned dinner. Additionally, while Houston has been rumored to receive service from India's national carrier since at least 2005 and publicly acknowledged talks with the airline in a 2008 brief on its airport website, many argue that insufficient business ties exist between the US energy capital and any of India's major cities to generate profitable service, though some refute that Houston, the nation's fourth largest metropolitan area, is a gaping hole in Air India's international route map. Still others hold that Continental should take advantage of Delta's recent Atlanta pull down and leverage the large Indian population of the southern United States.
Whether any of this speculation is rooted in facts of false hope is anybody's guess, one thing is for sure: traffic between the United States and India will probably grow as does the population of Indians in US cities. Diplomatic ties, too, should continue to flower, so the question is not if additional service between the two countries will begin, but when and by whom.
Bit of a wild one but good try anyway. Air India will shrink for a while, with codesharing the way out. |
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karatecatman Guest
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Posted: Thu Nov 26, 2009 3:05 pm Post subject: |
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CNBC TV
Air India shelves plans for low cost carrier
Nov 26, 2009
Moneycontrol.com
Air India has shelved plans for a domestic low cost carrier, government sources told CNBC-TV18. This low cost carrier was a part of Air India's turnaround plan.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation, DGCA, was reluctant to approve this launch, called AI Express Domestic Services, and the Air India board was no longer considering this the sources said. The Air India Board may look at a plan after a year. |
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vikramv2 Member
Joined: 22 May 2008 Posts: 435 Location: Powai,Mumbai
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Posted: Thu Nov 26, 2009 4:31 pm Post subject: |
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I guess it makes sense, because in India, airlines can never be truly low coast simply because of the high base cost of operations in th the first place. They would have ended up forming yet another arm for no good reason. They might as well start transferring these small routes to AI regional than anything else and make the AI regional , low cost maybe.... _________________ http://airliners1.com
Visit my photostream @flickr at http://www.flickr.com/photos/26842543@N07/
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karatecatman Guest
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Posted: Fri Nov 27, 2009 1:45 am Post subject: |
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TIMES OF INDIA
Few takers for AI-IA's leave without pay
Saurabh Sinha
27 November 2009
NEW DELHI: The overstaffed Air India-Indian Airlines' efforts to cut flab by offering a leave without pay to its employees has virtually come a
cropper. The scheme was launched in June-end for 30,500 employees, except pilots and engineers, and so far about 1% have opted for it.
"We have received 333 applications for leave without pay 2009 scheme and of them 90 have been allowed to go on leave. This number includes applications from both the erstwhile AI and IA," said an airline spokesperson. With its staff strength, AI has an unfavourable ratio of 226 people per aircraft and an annual wage bill of Rs 3,600 crore.
Sources say the airline's hope that its non-operational staff would opt in droves for the two to five year leave without pay scheme was bound to get, at best, a lukewarm response. Most of the non-operational staff has been around for close to two decades and there are not too many opportunities for them to avail of this scheme.
The unions oppose the scheme per se. "AI-IA have not hired for last 15 to 20 years and many departments face a shortage of staff. As unions, we are ready to shuffle people as per departmental requirements. But we oppose schemes to get rid of them," said J B Kadiyan, general-secretary of Air Corporation Employees Union that represents 12,000 staffers.
The AI-IA combine has an annual wage bill of about Rs 3,600 crore while Jet AIrways, with similar fleet size, has a one-third salary bill. AI has been asked to cut all costs, including on wage front, to get any monetary support from the government.
***
Air India, ICPA deadlock continues
ICPA, with backing of some 800 pilots, is protesting against irregular payments by the carrier and seeking uniform pay scale rules within the carrier
Tarun Shukla
New Delhi: State-run National Aviation Co. of India Ltd-run Air India’s pilots’ union Indian Commercial Pilots Association or ICPA failed to clear its deadlock with the management on Thursday in the run-up to the strike notice call given from November 30th.
ICPA, with backing of some 800 pilots, is protesting against irregular payments by the carrier and seeking uniform pay scale rules within the carrier. The pilot’s union had given a strike call notice from 24 November but that was later moved to 30 November after conciliation meetings with the management and the chief labour commissioner S.K. Mukhopadhyay last week.
Thursday’s parleys in the capital were expected to result in some resolution between the two sides. ICPA president Capt. Shailendra Singh said that they were called for a meeting with chairman and managing director Arvind Jadhav but were later refused an audience with him. “We don’t want to talk to people who do not have any mandate,” he said referring to the senior directors who held talks on Thursday.
“We have instructed everyone to be on standby for the strike which might happen if talks fail with CLC (on 30 November). We will follow the legal process,” he said.
An Air India spokesman could not be reached for comment.
***
ECONOMIC TIMES
HC asks Govt, NACIL to file reply on merger of AI, IA
26 Nov 2009
PTI
NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court today directed the government and the National Aviation Company of India Ltd to file their reply on a petition
challenging the merger of two state carriers Air India and Indian Airlines.
A division bench comprising Justice B D Ahmed and Justice Veena Birbal directed the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) and NACIL to file their replies in two weeks and complete their pleading.
The Court's direction came over a petition filed by the All India Cabin Crew Association (AICCA) which has challenged the order passed by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs in 2007 allowing the amalgamation of the two carriers.
In their petition, the association has challenged the Constitutional validity of section 620 of the Indian Companies Act, 1956, under which MCA allowed the merger.
Section 620 empowers MCA to exempt any government company from taking mandatory sanctions of the High Court and other regulatory body for mergers.
The AICCA had, in 2007, challenged the merger before the Bombay High Court on the ground that it defies Parliament's intent to keep international and domestic carriers separate. |
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Jaysit Member
Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 4346
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Posted: Fri Nov 27, 2009 11:11 pm Post subject: |
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"The unions oppose the scheme per se. "AI-IA have not hired for last 15 to 20 years and many departments face a shortage of staff. As unions, we are ready to shuffle people as per departmental requirements. But we oppose schemes to get rid of them," said J B Kadiyan, general-secretary of Air Corporation Employees Union that represents 12,000 staffers. "
Departments face a shortage of staff?
LOL.
That's like a 300 lb man saying he needs more candy. |
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con spirito Member
Joined: 07 Apr 2007 Posts: 577 Location: Inflight
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Posted: Sat Nov 28, 2009 10:24 am Post subject: |
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Jaysit wrote: | "The unions oppose the scheme per se. "AI-IA have not hired for last 15 to 20 years and many departments face a shortage of staff. As unions, we are ready to shuffle people as per departmental requirements. But we oppose schemes to get rid of them," said J B Kadiyan, general-secretary of Air Corporation Employees Union that represents 12,000 staffers. "
Departments face a shortage of staff?
LOL.
That's like a 300 lb man saying he needs more candy. |
AI does face shortage of staff but only in some departments but it is also overstaffed in the rest of them. All that AI needs is somereshuffling of the staff. _________________ India is one of the richest countries in the world.
The only problem is........all the wealth is distributed in the wrong hands. |
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iah87 Member
Joined: 17 Apr 2007 Posts: 2566
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Posted: Mon Nov 30, 2009 1:36 am Post subject: |
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karatecatman wrote: | TIMES OF INDIA
Few takers for AI-IA's leave without pay
Saurabh Sinha
27 November 2009
NEW DELHI: The overstaffed Air India-Indian Airlines' efforts to cut flab by offering a leave without pay to its employees has virtually come a
cropper. The scheme was launched in June-end for 30,500 employees, except pilots and engineers, and so far about 1% have opted for it.
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What did NACIL expect ? Like there will be droves and droves of people taking this leave without pay offer in this economy ?
They are lucky even that 1% took it. Even this small amount accounts for some savings. NACIL should accept this and leave this scheme as is and hope others take it as time progresses. |
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avbuff Member
Joined: 22 Dec 2006 Posts: 5031
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Posted: Mon Nov 30, 2009 6:30 am Post subject: |
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http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2009/11/30/stories/2009113050990300.htm
New Delhi, Nov. 29
Air India flights will operate as normal from Tuesday. This follows the airline management and pilots reaching an agreement in Mumbai on Sunday.
“The agreement involves some financial payout by the airline. The pilots have withdrawn the strike call issued earlier,” a senior airline official told Business Line without divulging details of the agreement reached.
Sections of the airline pilots had threatened to go on strike from midnight Monday.
The pilots and management were to meet again on Monday (November 30) at the office of Chief Labour Commissioner here to resolve their differences.
Demands
The agitating pilots were seeking wage revision and parity in wages with other pilots and an inquiry into the mismanagement of the company.
A major bone of contention between the agitating pilots and the management has been the proposal to stop paying Productivity- Linked Incentives (PLI) to its employees including pilots. PLI forms a large portion of the monthly salaries of employees.
The airline's annual PLI payout is about Rs 1,500 crore, almost half of which is paid to pilots and cabin crew, while the remaining is shared by about 26,000 employees of the airline. Air India has a total staff strength of 31,500 employees.
The pilots had gone on a four-day strike in September this year. At that time about 200 pilots had reported sick protesting against the decision to cut their PLI by 50 per cent and non-payment of flying allowances for three months. The agitation disrupted the carrier's operations with 240 flights being cancelled during the impasse. The financial loss to the airline was estimated at over Rs 100 crore.
More Stories on : Airlines | Trade & Labour Unions |
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karatecatman Guest
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Posted: Mon Nov 30, 2009 11:36 pm Post subject: |
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LIVEMINT
Air India relents, allows staff to change seats from economy
Govt has asked the airline to be more humane to its staff while planning revival
Tarun Shukla
As a peace offering to its warring employees, the Air India management has reversed a May order that forced employees all the way up to the chairman to fly economy class.
The embattled national carrier, operated by National Aviation Co. of India Ltd, is weighed down by losses of Rs5,548 crore in 2008-09 and a staggering Rs15,241 crore of debt. The state-owned carrier is expected to receive an initial Rs400 crore in equity infusion from the government if it cuts costs. In one of its early cost-cutting moves, the airline barred business and first-class travel for its senior management staff, provoking an employee backlash.
On 27 November, Air India executive director (headquarters) V. Srikrishna issued a circular stating that employees from deputy general manager or higher would be allowed to travel at least business class on duty and on vacation, but with caveats.
“After a long time, today, I had planned to take my papers with me on the flight. Two hours of flying is good enough time to work. In economy, you just can’t do that,” a senior Air India executive said, adding that the new rules are not open ended. “It’s a moderated order which takes care of the numbers and also of aspirations of the retired and serving officers, and limits have been set.”
Till May, for example, senior executives at the level of director or higher were allowed to fly first class, but can now travel only business. Their business-class travel has also been capped to not more than 25% of the total business class seats. For personal travel, seats would be allotted subject to availability.
Only Air India’s chairman and managing director would be allowed to fly first class both on duty and on personal travel. Retired chairmen of Air India and the erstwhile Indian Airlines, their immediate family members, and retired officials of the rank of deputy general managers or higher can travel only business class, subject to availability.
Air India’s chairman Arvind Jadhav is likely to hold a press briefing this week on the progress of the airline’s turnaround plan.
“They have opened up a little bit, which is fair,” said a second Air India executive. Several senior Air India executives have been using either the front row of the economy class or the emergency exit row that provides more legroom since the May order, the executive added.
A civil aviation ministry official, who declined to be named as he isn’t authorized to speak to the media, said the Air India management has been asked to adopt a humane approach to employees and convince them to participate in the turnaround process. “The government can’t stomach a strike. Whatever the plan was, has been abandoned,” said the official, referring to cost-cutting and other measures previously announced and those still being considered.
The Indian Commercial Pilots Association had withdrawn a strike notice for the midnight of 30 November on Sunday after assurances by the management.
Just gotta love Tarun Shukla's award winning line. "A senior official who declined to be named as he isn’t authorized to speak to the media, said". And then promptly proceeds to vomit out the info. |
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jasepl Member
Joined: 26 Jul 2008 Posts: 4257 Location: bund-bay
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Posted: Mon Nov 30, 2009 11:43 pm Post subject: |
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LIVEMINT wrote: | subject to availability. |
I like the sound of that.
Most likely there's always availability on AI's flights (excepy during peak peak times, maybe). And in any event, since when did availability ever stop AI employees (and their friends and families)? _________________ four years free of jetya punti! |
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Jaysit Member
Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 4346
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karatecatman Guest
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Posted: Tue Dec 01, 2009 3:51 pm Post subject: |
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Update
Thanks to source
Air India is to now drylease upto 5 777-300ERs. This will be in addition to the 3 777LRs and 4 A310Fs. There seems to be a rethink now on phasing & leasing out the 747s. Confusion abounds.
The IA domestic LCC plan has been grounded for the moment.
Buzz now that next lease to go online will be a few A321s.
Benefits on staff travel being largely restored as MoCA wants the management 'to take a humane view in the turnaround'.
VT-PPU (A321) and VT-SCV (A319) getting ready for delivery. |
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747-237 Member
Joined: 11 Jun 2007 Posts: 11353 Location: Gordon Gekko's Boardroom
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Posted: Tue Dec 01, 2009 4:33 pm Post subject: |
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karatecatman wrote: |
Air India is to now drylease upto 5 777-300ERs.
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Once again, Thai seems to be an intended taker for any AI 77W that might be offered.
karatecatman wrote: |
VT-PPU (A321) and VT-SCV (A319) getting ready for delivery. |
Both seem to have been delivered on 28 Nov. |
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rutvij Member
Joined: 22 Feb 2007 Posts: 1390 Location: Skies of Fire!
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Posted: Tue Dec 01, 2009 5:18 pm Post subject: |
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Correction: 3 77W will be dry-leased.
VT-ALJ / ALK / ALL |
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karatecatman Guest
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Posted: Tue Dec 01, 2009 5:21 pm Post subject: |
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rutvij wrote: | Correction: 3 77W will be dry-leased.
VT-ALJ / ALK / ALL |
Err ... the official figure is that it's 3 but may end up as 5, after a final call on the route replanning. |
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747-237 Member
Joined: 11 Jun 2007 Posts: 11353 Location: Gordon Gekko's Boardroom
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Jaysit Member
Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 4346
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Posted: Tue Dec 01, 2009 8:22 pm Post subject: |
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As usual, AI is clueless, running around like a headless chicken.
Lets lease out 3 77Ws, no wait, make that 5 77Ws. But first lets reintroduce 707s, no wait, make that 744s. But wait, the seats in J and F on the 744s aren't good enough for our employees, so lets bring back the 77Ws. But first lets create a new LCC carrier. Using BEST buses. But only double deckers so passengers can clamber from the upper deck of the bus straight to the plane.
Clowns. |
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iah87 Member
Joined: 17 Apr 2007 Posts: 2566
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Posted: Tue Dec 01, 2009 10:05 pm Post subject: |
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jasepl wrote: | LIVEMINT wrote: | subject to availability. |
I like the sound of that.
Most likely there's always availability on AI's flights (excepy during peak peak times, maybe). And in any event, since when did availability ever stop AI employees (and their friends and families)? |
Is this on AI metal only or includes code share flights too ? Also Arvind Jadhav personal travel should have been restricted to business only and not first class.
And how do they define "subject to availability" - at the time of booking or at the time of check in. |
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Jaysit Member
Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 4346
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Posted: Wed Dec 02, 2009 8:48 pm Post subject: |
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iah87 wrote: | jasepl wrote: | LIVEMINT wrote: | subject to availability. |
I like the sound of that.
Most likely there's always availability on AI's flights (excepy during peak peak times, maybe). And in any event, since when did availability ever stop AI employees (and their friends and families)? |
Is this on AI metal only or includes code share flights too ? Also Arvind Jadhav personal travel should have been restricted to business only and not first class.
And how do they define "subject to availability" - at the time of booking or at the time of check in. |
It means availability is subjective, interpreted as it were by the entrenched Maharajahs of AI. |
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jasepl Member
Joined: 26 Jul 2008 Posts: 4257 Location: bund-bay
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Posted: Wed Dec 02, 2009 9:13 pm Post subject: |
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Jaysit wrote: | It means availability is subjective, interpreted as it were by the entrenched Maharajahs of AI. |
Ha! I suppose that is the answer to "is the flight operating" is yes, then the answer to "is a seat available" is yes too. _________________ four years free of jetya punti! |
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Aseem Member
Joined: 15 Dec 2006 Posts: 2841 Location: YYZ
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Posted: Wed Dec 02, 2009 9:22 pm Post subject: |
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seems like it will be just the airlines and employees without the planes...... |
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Jaysit Member
Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 4346
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Posted: Wed Dec 02, 2009 11:04 pm Post subject: |
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Well, it appears that AI's IAD flights have started.
Of course, no one in the DC area knows. There's been no advertizing, no PR, nothing.
Even the local desi rags that one sees at some desi bhindi bazaar store in the suburbs have nothing in them. Whats more, even the AI website has nothing about it. But they've made sure that the Hajj flights are prominently advertized.
Morons. |
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karatecatman Guest
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Posted: Wed Dec 02, 2009 11:39 pm Post subject: |
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karatecatman wrote: | Update
Thanks to source
Air India is to now drylease upto 5 777-300ERs. This will be in addition to the 3 777LRs and 4 A310Fs. There seems to be a rethink now on phasing & leasing out the 747s. Confusion abounds. |
The wetleased jumbos have found a "good overseas home not far away".
(No more on this at the request of source.) |
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avbuff Member
Joined: 22 Dec 2006 Posts: 5031
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Posted: Wed Dec 02, 2009 11:41 pm Post subject: |
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karatecatman wrote: | karatecatman wrote: | Update
Thanks to source
Air India is to now drylease upto 5 777-300ERs. This will be in addition to the 3 777LRs and 4 A310Fs. There seems to be a rethink now on phasing & leasing out the 747s. Confusion abounds. |
The wetleased jumbos have found a "good overseas home not far away".
(No more on this at the request of source.) |
I'm betting on Saudi Arabia. |
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karatecatman Guest
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Posted: Wed Dec 02, 2009 11:42 pm Post subject: |
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karatecatman wrote: | Update
Thanks to source
Air India is to now drylease upto 5 777-300ERs. This will be in addition to the 3 777LRs and 4 A310Fs. There seems to be a rethink now on phasing & leasing out the 747s. Confusion abounds. |
The Air India jumbos (wetleased) may be finding a "good overseas home not far away".
(No more on this at the request of source.)
Last edited by karatecatman on Thu Dec 03, 2009 12:25 am; edited 1 time in total |
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mk777 Member
Joined: 24 Dec 2006 Posts: 24 Location: USA
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Posted: Thu Dec 03, 2009 12:19 am Post subject: |
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Jaysit wrote: | Well, it appears that AI's IAD flights have started.
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Haven't had the chance of getting to IAD to see it, arrives around 9:30am and departs around noon. difficult to catch for me, i am sure someone else will capture it soon at IAD.
according to westwing on airliners.net, Dec 1st saw AI bring VT-ALC and today was VT-ALA. |
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karatecatman Guest
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Posted: Thu Dec 03, 2009 12:21 am Post subject: |
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Update 1
PMO wants Air India in the black by 2013 as it wants it to be listed by then.
Inside feeling is that this is impossible a target. |
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iah87 Member
Joined: 17 Apr 2007 Posts: 2566
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Posted: Thu Dec 03, 2009 12:42 am Post subject: |
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Jaysit wrote: | Well, it appears that AI's IAD flights have started.
Of course, no one in the DC area knows. There's been no advertizing, no PR, nothing.
Even the local desi rags that one sees at some desi bhindi bazaar store in the suburbs have nothing in them. Whats more, even the AI website has nothing about it. But they've made sure that the Hajj flights are prominently advertized.
Morons. |
Even the AI website ?????
And then the AI management wonders why this flight is having a poor response !!! |
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karatecatman Guest
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Posted: Thu Dec 03, 2009 1:01 am Post subject: |
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Jaysit wrote: | Well, it appears that AI's IAD flights have started.
Of course, no one in the DC area knows. There's been no advertizing, no PR, nothing.
Even the local desi rags that one sees at some desi bhindi bazaar store in the suburbs have nothing in them. Whats more, even the AI website has nothing about it. But they've made sure that the Hajj flights are prominently advertized.
Morons. |
The Air India release has been listed in the Indian Embassy Washington DC site, as, as announced, this route was mainly ained at diplomatic traffic (F and J).
But seems to have been removed now.
Major announcement will be splashed by Air India all over during and after the second India US Aviation Summit being held in Washington from 7 - 9 December 2009. |
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Jaysit Member
Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 4346
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Posted: Thu Dec 03, 2009 1:50 am Post subject: |
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karatecatman wrote: | Jaysit wrote: | Well, it appears that AI's IAD flights have started.
Of course, no one in the DC area knows. There's been no advertizing, no PR, nothing.
Even the local desi rags that one sees at some desi bhindi bazaar store in the suburbs have nothing in them. Whats more, even the AI website has nothing about it. But they've made sure that the Hajj flights are prominently advertized.
Morons. |
The Air India release has been listed in the Indian Embassy Washington DC site, as, as announced, this route was mainly ained at diplomatic traffic (F and J).
But seems to have been removed now.
Major announcement will be splashed by Air India all over during and after the second India US Aviation Summit being held in Washington from 7 - 9 December 2009. |
That's all well and good, but how is that going to get butts in seats? Who will see it other than a few bureaucrats. This flight may have been launched to target the diplomatic/govt. demographic, but they're a very small fraction of total flyers. Meanwhile the nearly 250,000 strong Indian/Indian-American community in the DC/Balt metropolitan are is blissfully unaware of any of this flight. Not that this flight is all its cut out to be. It doesn't connect to the BOM flight (and, thus, South India), and the fact that it's daily is just surreal. |
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me111993 Member
Joined: 04 Sep 2009 Posts: 3225 Location: MAA/AMD
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Posted: Thu Dec 03, 2009 5:33 am Post subject: |
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There's been no marketing, no advertisement??? Nothing at all?!?
They advertised their nonstop flights so aggressively but still they weren't successful. Even if they are targeting diplomatic traffic it really wouldn't harm them to put up a hoarding or two in an area home to a major indian community.
Me111993 |
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Nimish Member
Joined: 16 Dec 2006 Posts: 9757 Location: Bangalore, India
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Posted: Thu Dec 03, 2009 10:21 am Post subject: |
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karatecatman wrote: | Update 1
PMO wants Air India in the black by 2013 as it wants it to be listed by then.
Inside feeling is that this is impossible a target. |
Inside feeling is that it should never be in the black - after all why is that needed when they can manage to get the dole year after year, free first class flights for life etc. Who ever in their right minds would want to work at AI? _________________ We miss you Nalini! |
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jasepl Member
Joined: 26 Jul 2008 Posts: 4257 Location: bund-bay
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Posted: Thu Dec 03, 2009 11:47 am Post subject: |
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karatecatman wrote: | Major announcement will be splashed by Air India all over during and after the second India US Aviation Summit being held in Washington from 7 - 9 December 2009. |
yes, of course. Let's publicise the flight after it has started. Idiots. _________________ four years free of jetya punti! |
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AirIndia0001 Member
Joined: 28 Sep 2007 Posts: 391
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Posted: Thu Dec 03, 2009 8:43 pm Post subject: |
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jasepl wrote: | karatecatman wrote: | Major announcement will be splashed by Air India all over during and after the second India US Aviation Summit being held in Washington from 7 - 9 December 2009. |
yes, of course. Let's publicise the flight after it has started. Idiots. |
I saw this a few times in the TOI Delhi edition during last month..
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Jaysit Member
Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 4346
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Posted: Thu Dec 03, 2009 8:59 pm Post subject: |
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Well, its good to see that they're advertizing in the Delhi media. Nothing in the DC media, however. When you consider that the bulk of the traffic on the Indo-US sector during the lucrative mid-November to late January season originates in the US, its astonishing that AI thinks it can fill those planes without targeting these travelers.
The New Air India.
Still Morons. |
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