Indo-US flights not lucrative

New Delhi: Over ten per cent growth in air traffic between India and US does not seem to be lucrative enough for airlines to start new nonstop flights on this route.
Three carriers – Air India (AI), Continental Airlines and American Airlines – that have nonstop services from India to US do not have any immediate plans to add more flights to this route.
This is despite the high seat factor that hovers around over 80 per cent and claim to be quite happy with their performances.
“For the next 10-12 months, there is no plan to add new non-stop flight from India. This is for purely business reasons.
Not many people want to fly 15-hour or longer flight.
There is bigger risk and therefore it takes quite some time before a decision to add such flights is taken,” Charles M Duncan, vice president (Transatlantic, Middle East and India), United – Continental Airlines said.
At present, there are limited numbers of direct flights on India-US route.
The national carrier AI has two direct daily flights from Delhi and Mumbai to New York. While Continental too has two daily flights from Mumbai and Delhi to New York, American Airlines has only one daily flight from New Delhi to Chicago.
According to industry experts, the carriers are cautious to fly direct flights on India-US as the sector already has sufficient capacity.
01/11/10 Parul Chhaparia/mydigitalfc.com

To Read the News in full at Source, Click the Headline

Categories: Air India - International Nov 2010, Air India Nov 2010, Foreign Nov 2010