The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : AI may extend New York flight to south

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Dec 05, 2007
ePaper

Kerala

Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

AI may extend New York flight to south

S. Anil Radhakrishnan

In order to ensure adequate load in the economy class

Bangalore along with Kochi is being actively considered by the airline
Air India is already offering through baggage check-in facility and international boarding pass

Thiruvananthapuram: Air India (AI) is considering extension of the prestigious non-stop daily flight from Mumbai to JFK airport in New York to south to ensure adequate load in the economy class.

The proposal has been mooted as the 195 seats in the maiden 777-200 LR (Long Range) aircraft deployed by the national carrier for the flight in the Mumbai-New York sector is going almost empty.

Airline sources said the move was to link the non-stop flight with one of the airports in the southern States to ensure adequate load. Bangalore along with Kochi is being actively considered by the airline as it will ensure direct connectivity to New York.

The proposal has been mooted as the response from the travellers to the gesture shown by the national carrier to reduce the two-way economy fare from the domestic points for the flight had not been encouraging. The two-way economy fare in the Mumbai-New York sector was reduced from Rs.80,000 to Rs.34,000.

Airline sources said the fares had again been reduced to Rs.32,900 from the first week of December. Of course, the traveller will have to pay a tax of Rs.15,770 in addition to the fare. Airline sources said the demand for the non-stop flight was picking up.

As part of marketing the flight to New York, the airline is already offering through baggage check-in facility and international boarding pass for the non-stop flight from several airports. Indian’s IC 168 daily flight from here to Mumbai at 2.55 p.m. is one of the convenient connection for those travelling by the non-stop flight.

Travel trade sources said the airline should either extend the New York flight to Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram airports or introduce a connecting flight in the evening linking the two airports to end the undue waiting in Mumbai airport of those opting through baggage check-in facility from the domestic points in the country.

“Emirates and Kuwait airlines is offering connections in 45-50 minutes from its hub in Dubai and Kuwait to New York. The extension of AI non-stop flight to the south or introduction of a connection flight will enable the airline to get adequate load from Kerala itself,” travel trade sources said.

The AI 141 flight to New York flight leaves from Mumbai at 1.10 a.m. to reach JFK airport at 7 a.m. (local time). Airline sources said the first class (eight seats) and business class (35) seats are in high demand since the flight commenced. The fare for the first class to New York is Rs.4.25 lakh.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Kerala