9W to begin BOM-PVG-SFO

[ojas]

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/...ow/2886057.cms

Schedules are up,

Jet airways to start San Francisco via Shanghai.

From May 5


9W 210

BOM - PVG 1115 1945 6Hrs
PVG - SFO 2145 1815 11hrs 30 mins

9W 209

SFO - PVG 2045 0130 +2 13hrs 45 mins
PVG - BOM 0330 +2 0820 +2 7Hrs 20 mins

Flights to be operated daily by a B777-300ER.

[flyboy2548m]

And there was much rejoicing!

[Crunk415balla]

I'll be there to shoot its arrival.

[ATLcenter]

I thought Jet would do BLR-(China)-SFO. Why did they go through Mumbai? Are they going to launch BLR-PVG soon or are pax from BLR expected to connect in BOM? BOM isn't exactly the world's best place to change planes!

[ojas]

I thought Jet would do BLR-(China)-SFO. Why did they go through Mumbai? Are they going to launch BLR-PVG soon or are pax from BLR expected to connect in BOM? BOM isn't exactly the world's best place to change planes!

Jet had never planned BLR-PVG-SFO. Since last year it was anticipated that Jet would start BOM - SFO via China, but mostly by HKG.

BLR will soon be connected to LAX via BRU. I'm myself thinking that 9W should start a terminator to PVG from BLR.

BOM is not the best place to change aircrafts, but if you are traveling 9W , they have good facilities to transfer you to the domestic terminal with a bus which travels on the turmac.

PVG will be used like a hub similar to BRU. the N. American destinations are obviously SFO, LAX, and YVR. And in India BOM , DEL .. and third maybe BLR(not sure).

[Foxtrot]

Re:

I thought Jet would do BLR-(China)-SFO. Why did they go through Mumbai? Are they going to launch BLR-PVG soon or are pax from BLR expected to connect in BOM? BOM isn't exactly the world's best place to change planes!

The flight is targeted at Mumbai O&D passengers who are flying to SFO or PVG. Right now, the only other carrier having nonstop service between BOM and PVG is AI. Besides, when 9W is aiming to make its main Indian gateway BOM, I don't see why it would launch such a new route from/to BLR.

But, with the opening of the new airport I wouldnt be surprised to see 9W start nonstops between BLR and both, PVG and BRU, since both airports have been designated as the airline's hubs.

9W will also be keenly looking to add nonstops between BLR and U.S. airports as well in lieu of IT's and AI's nonstops linking BLR to SFO in the next few years.

[Vishal Jolapara]

I thought Jet would do BLR-(China)-SFO. Why did they go through Mumbai? Are they going to launch BLR-PVG soon or are pax from BLR expected to connect in BOM? BOM isn't exactly the world's best place to change planes!

Thats Kingfisher (KF) mate, BLR-SFO non-stop on their sex-machine the A345 - August 15, 2008 or The Day We Celebrate OUR Independance Day !!

[ATLcenter]

Thats Kingfisher (KF) mate, BLR-SFO non-stop on their sex-machine the A345 - August 15, 2008 or The Day We Celebrate OUR Independance Day !!

I've never heard of an A345 described as a sex machine, but w/ IT's uniforms its not a stretch!

For many NRIs it's a pain to transfer at BOM. Case in point: last May I spent a full night in DEL and caught a flight to CJB after sunrise. I realize Coimbatore, India will never see the loads for intercontinental flights, but even routes like BOM-BLR had their first flight at 7am. Now there is a 3am 9W flight which is a godsend.

A PVG-BLR terminator sounds great, but I wonder if ther are enough pax to sustain the flight. Maybe it can run a few times a week. I also read that many airlines are cutting BLR and HYD flights because the fees associated with the new airports are ridiculous. I know the passenger airport fee is Rs 600- 1000, which is more than some tickets!

[AA 1818]

Now, while I understand that 9W is building BOM as a hub, they might need to consider other markets. For example, when Amritsar-UK flights started, some thought that it would never work. Interestingly enough, it is so popular that it is now a daily, non-stop service. BLR-SFO makes sense, and it should be done now, while others are still preparing. Enter early, and take a huge bite into the market. It will not stop IT from launching the route, but it will take away from a competitor, and might saturate the market well enough to detract AI from entering. I think that it is foolish to let that market go. As for offering a connection (either via BRU or PVG) - yes, 9W offers a great product, but aren't there at least a dozen other airlines, and at least 100 combinations that can be used to do the same thing? Non-stop service should happen. The one to start first will probably be the one to have the monopoly, and a lucrative route for years to come.

[Crunk415balla]

Anyone know when King Fisher and Air India are going to start SFO service? I heard they were waiting on equipment.

[sfoflyer]

AI could actually start the route anytime they wanted because they have the new 77L's. Its great to hear that 9W will come to SFO...its about time. I saw one of their 77W’s at JFK yesterday…quite an amazing sight!

[Foxtrot]

Re:

Anyone know when King Fisher and Air India are going to start SFO service? I heard they were waiting on equipment.

AI is likely going to start ops between BLR and SFO beginning in August with 773ERs, whie Kingfisher Airways plans to do the same in August (the 27th) as well, but with 345s. A note about IT though, its merger with Simplifly Deccan is not going as planned and that's going to hamper expansion plans for a while, to use the Deccan name, IT has to forfet its certificate and fly using the certificate of Deccan, which complicates matters further. So don't bet on the new flight starting on time just yet.

Now, while I understand that 9W is building BOM as a hub, they might need to consider other markets.

It has been doing so; it has flights between Chennai and both, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, between Cochin and a host of mid-east cities like Dubai, Doha, Bahrain etc and also between Kolkata and both, Dhaka and Bangkok.

[ojas]

Now, while I understand that 9W is building BOM as a hub, they might need to consider other markets. For example, when Amritsar-UK flights started, some thought that it would never work. Interestingly enough, it is so popular that it is now a daily, non-stop service. BLR-SFO makes sense, and it should be done now, while others are still preparing. Enter early, and take a huge bite into the market. It will not stop IT from launching the route, but it will take away from a competitor, and might saturate the market well enough to detract AI from entering. I think that it is foolish to let that market go. As for offering a connection (either via BRU or PVG) - yes, 9W offers a great product, but aren't there at least a dozen other airlines, and at least 100 combinations that can be used to do the same thing? Non-stop service should happen. The one to start first will probably be the one to have the monopoly, and a lucrative route for years to come.

Well of course the nonstops are going to come from Jet. that is why they have ordered the B787.

You are right , about the BRU hub. But it surely interesting to note that the BRU hub is used basically to serve multiple markets. There are many one stop options, but there is some reputation 9W has earned in the past 15 years in the Indian domestic market. Adding to that the brilliant product in the international market. This actually helps people to make the choices. And besides from reviews that I know of , BRU airport is much better than transiting in DXB , LHR , FRA , CDG. So here 9W already tops in many fields.

As far as the PVG hub goes, it is a different story. There isliterally NO carrier serving BOM - PVG non stop, for which there is a HUGE demand. Of course we don't need to consider AI's ratty tatty A310 doing BOM - DEL - PVG 4 times a week.

And also PVG - SFO market is served only by UA as of now. If jet markets well in SFO and PVG, I'm sure it will make a killer on that route as well. Their only competitor on this sector is CX.

[Crunk415balla]

King Fisher is bringing the A345 eh? No one has ever brought them in here, glad to have a new aircraft on the block. It'll be a shame if AI doesn't bring in the 77L, still haven't seen one.