Air India hopes to lift off as aircraft touches down

New Delhi: As the much delayed Boeing 787 Dreamliner makes an official touchdown, complete with a water cannon salute, in Delhi tomorrow to join Air India’s fleet, the ailing airline is working on a plan to regain its lost space in the international skies.
While AI will not officially share its route plans for the 27 B-787 aircraft (at least three are expected this year), insiders and route planners say with its ability to fly optimally for 10 to 13 hours without a refuel, one destination is surely going to be Australia. According to airport data, as many as 550 passengers fly from Delhi to either Sydney or Melbourne through either Singapore or Hong Kong or other destinations every day, including a large student community. That is because there is no direct flight between the two countries.
With indirect flights taking between 22 hours to as much as 38 hours to reach cities like Melbourne from Delhi, the Dreamliner would provide an attractive alternative, as well as command a premium, by doing the same for only nine and a half hours.
08/09/12 Surajeet Das Gupta & Disha Kanwar/Business Standard

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Categories: Air India Sep 2012