Jet Airways

Indian media has officially disclosed that Jet Airways is planning to launch new services to Johannesburg, South Africa from its BOM-Mumbai hub before the 2010 Soccer World Cup. The Wall Street Journal's India division Livemint has disclosed that the carrier is going to start daily nonstop flights with an A 332 on this route to cash in on high demand ahead of the World Cup. 9W is expected to schedule these flights in a manner that will allow good connections via BOM to SIN and BKK to get useful feeder traffic.

Source: http://www.livemint.com/2010/01/14225802/Jet-Airways-set-to-take-its-fl.html

Air India long haul restructuring

Air India has been cited by the Economic Times of India newspaper that it has submitted a business plan to the Indian Govt on new cost saving measures that can be implemented by the carrier from the on set of the IATA Winter 2010-11 season. The 2 major interesting points concern making Delhi its second international hub after Mumbai due to over congestion at the latter airport and the second concerns focusing more on nonstop long haul flights which would see the termination of the Frankfurt scissors hub in Europe for North America bound flights.

Mentioned below is my analysis and suggestions with regards to this new business strategy of the Indian state carrier.

Analysis:

Interesting turn of events proposed by AI which makes you wonder what sort of possibilities lie in the short term future for this carrier. The important thing that one must focus on is to make full use of all your available assets at the lowest possible cost and in the most commercially viable manner. Keeping this in mind, I would like to suggest to AI on how to go about this proposed new strategy of theirs which I fully agree with especially concerning the termination of FRA as a hub.

Currently in AI's fleet for long haul routes consists of 8 B 77Ls (B 772LRs) and 12 B 77Ws (B 773ERs) and the best manner to effectively make use of these aircraft is as follows:

1. First and foremost from their entire B 77L fleet, the first class cabin needs to be removed. There is absolutely no demand what so ever for it on their ULH flights and it would be wise for them to replace 8 first class seats with 32 economy class seats. This will help increase the B 77L seating capacity to 262 which will help reduce the seat per mile operational cost as well. Its best to generate revenue by having seats occupied rather than having "heavy empty seats" left unoccupied thus causing loss of revenue.

2. The 8 B 77Ls should be used in the following manner:

Two aircraft for daily BOM-EWR-BOM nonstop
Two aircraft for daily BOM-ORD-BOM nonstop
One aircraft for 4 weekly ATQ-LHR terminator + 3 weekly DEL-LHR terminator
Two aircraft for 4-5 weekly DEL-SFO nonstop
One aircraft for 4 weekly DEL-NRT + upgrade DEL-HKG to a B 77L from A 310 three times per week.

Anyone noticed how I purposely left out BOM-JFK? Thats because there is absolutely no need whatsoever to fly BOM-JFK nonstop + BOM-EWR nonstop. Its a total waste of 2 precious B 77Ls which can be used in a more efficient manner on other routes which have better revenue generating potential. AI need to have a maximum of 2 daily flights to the NYC market place from India which is BOM-EWR nonstop on a B 77L and DEL-JFK nonstop with a B 77W.

The reason why I have designated one B 77L for ATQ-LHR + DEL-LHR terminator flights is because AI need to protect those precious LHR slots hence it would be best if a smaller B 77L is used for these flights rather than waste capacity by deploying a larger B 77W which seats 104 more pax than their B 77Ls.

3. The 12 B 77Ws should be used in the following manner:

Two aircraft for daily ATQ-DEL-YYZ with DEL-YYZ-DEL sector being flown nonstop.
Two aircraft for daily DEL-JFK-IAD
Two aircraft for daily DEL-SYD-MEL-DEL
One aircraft for daily BOM-LHR terminator
One aircraft for daily DEL-LHR terminator
One aircraft for daily BOM-JED terminator
One aircraft for daily DEL-JED terminator
One aircraft for daily BOM-RUH terminator
One aircraft for daily same plane service DXB-BOM-SIN-BOM-DXB (on AI 716/442 + AI 443/717)

Now one can notice that DEL-YYZ and DEL-SYD/MEL flights should be flown nonstop. For DEL to become an effective hub, the DEL-YYZ-DEL flights should be similar to DEL-JFK-DEL which means that for YYZ, the flight schedule would have to be changed to as follows:

AI 187 Dep ATQ 2225 Arr DEL 2315
AI 187 Dep DEL 0100 Arr YYZ 0730

AI 188 Dep YYZ 1500 Arr DEL 1545
AI 188 Dep DEL 1730 Arr ATQ 1820

The best thing about this above mentioned flight schedule is that the YYZ flights cannot be delayed due to overnight FOG related issues at DEL which shall come as a huge relief to the passengers and ground/office staff alike. An arrival time of 1545 into DEL from YYZ is ideal from a passenger convenience perspective and also it connects very well with the domestic AI/IC hub wave bank that is in place at DEL for flights bound to BOM and Southern India departing between 1800-2000 hours DEL time! If flown the DEL-YYZ-DEL sector nonstop, the impact for AI will be positive big time from a revenue generating, customer appreciation and most importantly market share gain stand point. A nonstop DEL-YYZ-DEL flight would greatly hurt the market share enjoyed by 9W/EY/AF/LH/BA/EK on this high demand sector which should be one of the primary focus areas for AI to seriously contemplate over as one must think of it as a long term investment they are making into this route.

I have also suggested that BOM-JED + DEL-JED flights should be flown using a B 77W so that the leased A 332s can be withdrawn and returned back to their owner thus another form of cost savings for AI to enjoy! It is also due to the fact that there is plenty of demand on the JED and RUH bound flights from DEL and BOM in particular that it wouldn't require any great sales/marketing effort to fill up the plane on a consistent basis in all cabin classes. Also note that the excess cargo belly capacity of the B 77W would serve as a huge asset to AI to effectively exploit on this route by offering a greater baggage allowance facility to its passengers versus its competitors along with other forms of cargo sales to generate additional revenue.

Another suggestion (mentioned above) with the B 77W was to use it as a daily same plane service on the DXB-BOM-SIN-BOM-DXB sector. With CX now suspending its own BOM-DXB daily nonstop flight, there is capacity available to grab back for AI and its best to do it now before 9W upgrade BOM-DXB from a B 738 to an A 332. AI needs to use their premium B 77Ws on this high density high yielding route because there is a lot of demand in F and J class on this sector and no one will fly their A 321s in premium classes if that remains. In order to attract the high end passenger on this route as well as on the equally important BOM-SIN route, the B 77W must be used. With regards to BOM-SIN, it needs to use the B 77W here because to effectively compete neck to neck against SQ, 9W and IT who all use modern wide bodied B 77Ws and A 332s on this sector. AI currently deploys a small A 319 on the BOM-SIN route which is quite simply ludicrous compared against what the competition is offering. Lastly, by replacing the A 321 and A 319 used on the DXB-BOM and SIN-BOM route respectively with a B 77W, extra revenue will too be generated through the attainment of cargo in the aircraft belly. The B 77W on such routes can easily carry up to 15 tons of value able cargo where as the A 321/A 319 cannot uplift anything hence the extra revenue generator in the form of cargo would also come in handy for Air India on both these routes. The flight schedule would remain the same and is as follows:

AI 716 Dep DXB 1715 Arr BOM 2130 /// AI 442 Dep BOM 0010 Arr SIN 0750
AI 443 Dep SIN 0925 Arr BOM 1215 /// AI 717 Dep BOM 1415 Arr DXB 1545

One last suggestion I have for AI to seriously pursue with its B 77Ws is to launch daily nonstop flights to Australia from the upcoming DEL hub. The flight schedule I propose is as follows which would connect wonderfully 3 times per week with DEL-LON-DEL:

AI 112 Dep LHR 2130 Arr DEL 1115+1
AI XXX Dep DEL 1445 Arr SYD 0815+1
AI XXX Dep SYD 1000 Arr MEL 1130

AI XXX Dep MEL 1400 Arr SYD 1530
AI XXX Dep SYD 1715 Arr DEL 0315+1
AI 187 Dep DEL 0635 Arr LHR 1130

The above flight schedule for DEL-Australia-DEL allows for excellent connections domestically too via DEL to interior Indian points as the flight departs DEL in the mid afternoon and arrives back early morning thus beautifully positioned to connect with the late morning arrival domestic hub wave bank in DEL for Australia and on the return the 315am arrival time means passengers bound to other Indian cities can connect with the early morning 6-8am domestic departure hub bank of AI/IC. FYI, in 2008 more than 120,000 passengers flew alone from DEL to both SYD and MEL combined so the figure if you add in BOM + AMD + MAA + BLR and HYD into it should be well over 250,000. To attract passengers from AKL and CHC on to its DEL-SYD-DEL nonstop flight, AI should look to code share with Air New Zealand on the trans tasman sector in order to gain useful feeder traffic.

If someone would forward this email to mine to Air India Senior Management officials, I would sincerely appreciate it.

Any feedback to my above mentioned suggestions is greatly welcome :)

Hope you enjoyed reading,
Rgds
Behramjee

Emirates

Emirates has officially announced that they will be launching new nonstop flights to Madrid, Spain effective August 1st. EK will be using a three class configured Airbus A 330-200 to launch the route which shall be flown on a daily basis. The flight schedule is as follows:

Days of operation: DAILY

EK 141 Dep DXB 0725 Arr MAD 1320

EK 142 Dep MAD 1615 Arr DXB 0105+1

From November 1st onwards, capacity will be further increased from a daily A 332 to a daily A 343.

Comments:

Excellent move by EK to launch a city that has been asked of them since the past 4 years. They will give QR/LH/AF a tough time with regards to getting market share to Southeast Asia in particular to/from Spain.

Singapore Airlines

Singapore Airlines has revealed on the GDS that it will be making few capacity changes to its long haul network for the Summer 2010 season. The main highlights are as follows:

CMB - frequencies increased from 5 weekly to daily flights using their new A 333.

DAC - frequencies increased from 5 weekly to daily flights using their new A 333.

FCO - frequencies increased from 2 to 3 times per week effective June 22nd.

ATH - frequencies increased from 2 to 3 times per week effective June 23rd.

AUH/JED - in flight product upgraded as the new A 333 will be used on all flights replacing the older B 772A three times per week.

CCU - in-flight product upgraded as A 333 will be replacing the B 772A four times per week.

MLE - in-flight product upgraded as A 333 will be replacing the B 772A on a daily basis.

Turkish Airlines

Turkish Airlines has officially disclosed to the media that has placed a mega order with Airbus for the purchase of an additional 30 Airbus A 320 family series of aircraft. The break up of this huge order is 14 A 321s along with 6 A 319s + 10 options for any A 320 family version. TK in its current fleet has 57 B 737NGs (6 B 737-700s + 51 B 738s) + 4 A 319s + 22 A 320s + 21 A 321s.

Comments:

Does anyone else feel that TK are getting a bit a rather too ambitious by placing such large orders very rapidly. They already have placed orders in the last 18 months for 10 B 773ERs + 10 A 333s and have a fleet of 47 A 320s + 54 B 737NGs so the question one asks of TK is that do they really need 20 more A 320s that too 14 A 321s???

Ethiopian Airlines

Ethiopian Airlines has officially revealed on the GDS that it will be increasing its flights to IAD-Washington DC. Currently, ET flies to IAD via FCO-Rome from its ADD hub four times per week using a Boeing 767-300ER. However, it shall be increasing the service to a daily operation via FCO using the same aircraft type effective June 1st.

Comments:

ET should seriously lobby hard to get 5th freedom traffic rights from Ghana to USA as currently their FCO-IAD flights cannot carry 5th freedom pax/cargo traffic. Flying via ACC would be a high revenue earner for the carrier and a more sensible option.

United Airlines

United Airlines has officially announced that it will be increasing capacity on its popular San Francisco-Seoul route for the entire IATA Summer 2010 season. Currently, flights are flown nonstop using a Boeing 777-200ER which are then to be replaced by the larger Boeing 747-400 for the entire summer timetable.

Malaysia Airlines

Malaysia Airlines has officially announced that it will be many capacity and frequency adjustments for its Asia and Europe route network for the Summer 2010 IATA season. The main highlights are as follows:

CDG - frequencies increased from 5 weekly to daily nonstop flights using a B 744.

MNL - frequencies increased from one to two daily nonstop flights using a B 738 for both services.

CMB - capacity adjusted to 5 weekly nonstop terminator services using a B 738.

MLE - capacity adjusted to 5 weekly nonstop terminator services using a B 738.

Air China

Air China has officially revealed major changes to its international long haul route network for the IATA Summer 2010 season. The main highlights are as follows:

YVR - frequencies increased from 7 to 10 weekly nonstop flights using an A 332 from June 2nd.

MAD - frequencies increased from 2 to 4 weekly nonstop flights using an A 332 from March 28th.

MUC - frequencies increased from 3 to 4 weekly nonstop flights using an A 332 from June 13th.

ARN - frequencies increased from 4 to 5 weekly nonstop flights using a B 772ER from June 7th.

Gulf Air

Gulf Air has officially revealed on the GDS that it will be reducing flights to KTM-Kathmandu from the on set of the IATA Summer 2010 timetable. Currently, 12 weekly nonstop flights are flown which will be reduced to 9 weekly flights with no operations on Fridays. All services will be flown using an Airbus A 330-200.

Aeroflot

Aeroflot has officially revealed major changes to Far East Asia network for the IATA Summer 2010 season. The main highlights are as follows:

PEK - frequencies increased from daily to double daily nonstop flights using a B 763ER + A 332 each respectively.

HKG - frequencies increased from 4 to 5 weekly nonstop flights using an A 332 effective April 22.

CAN - new 3 weekly nonstop flights to be launched using a B 763ER.

Garuda Indonesia

Garuda Indonesia has officially announced few capacity and frequency changes to its medium haul route network for the Summer 2010 season. The main highlights are as follows:

JKT/JED - frequencies increased to 11 weekly nonstop flights using a B 744.

JKT/PVG - frequencies increased from 2 to 4 weekly flights using an A 333.

JKT/PEK - capacity increased from 3 weekly A 332 to 3 weekly A 333.

JKT/HKG - capacity reduced from daily A 332 to daily B 738.

DPS/KIX - frequencies increased from 3 to 5 weekly flights.

DPS/ICN - frequencies increased from 3 to 4 weekly flights.

Qatar Airways

Qatar Airways has officially revealed on the GDS that it will be increasing capacity on its flights to Pakistan and India from August 2010 onwards in the following manner:

ATQ - frequencies increased from 4 weekly to daily nonstop flights using an A 320 five times per week + A 321 twice a week.

GOI - frequencies increased from 4 weekly A 320s to daily nonstop flights using a larger A 321.

KHI - capacity increased from daily A 321 to 2 weekly A 333s + 2 weekly A 332s + 3 weekly A 321s.

ISB - capacity adjusted from 3 weekly B 773ERs + weekly A 332 to 4 weekly A 333s.

LHE - capacity increased to 2 weekly A 332s + weekly A 346 + weekly A 333.

QR have also officially confirmed that from April 2010, it will be launching new flights to CPH-Copenhagen and BCN-Barcelona in Europe as part of its 2010 expansion plan. CPH will be initially flown 4 times per week nonstop using an A 319LR where as BCN will be flown daily using an Airbus A 330.

Comments:

Very happy that KHI is finally getting consistent A 330 service by QR which should help them attract more business class traffic bound to Europe, USA and the Middle East. Unfortunately, it seems that ISB will be losing its same plane service to IAD with the B 773ERs being withdrawn.

Cathay Pacific

Cathay Pacific has revealed on the GDS that after operating the Mumbai-Dubai route for over two decades, it will be sadly suspending this sector effective March 29th 2010 citing heavy competition and diluting market share. It was known for two decades as the "grass hopper route" as it was originally flown using a Boeing 747-300 as HKG-BKK-BOM-DXB and then a decade later switched over to a B 777-300A and recently it became a daily HKG-BOM-DXB service. On the BOM-DXB sector, CX was competing against 5 daily EK, double daily 9W and double daily Air India operated flights.

Comments:

CX should seriously examine the possibility of replacing the ultra competitive BOM-DXB route with either BOM-AUH or BOM-MCT. Both routes see double daily frequencies offered by EY/9W (AUH) and WY (MCT) only using narrow bodied aircraft.

Emirates

Emirates has officially revealed that it will be adjusting its services to Melbourne and Kuala Lumpur from Feb 1st onwards by re-routing one of its daily nonstop DXB-MEL flights (EK 408) to DXB-KUL-MEL. This route will be served by an A 340-500 on a daily basis and EK will have 5th freedom traffic rights on the KUL-MEL-KUL sector.

As a result of this, EK will be increasings its flights to KUL by offering triple daily nonstop services from DXB using an A 345 daily + double daily Boeing 777-300s. MEL will also continue to see triple daily services i.e. daily A 345 via KUL + daily B 773ER via SIN and a daily nonstop flight using an A 345.

China Airlines Taiwan

China Airlines of Taiwan has officially announced that it will be launching new 3 weekly nonstop flights from its TPE hub to LHR-London Heathrow effective March 28th. CI will be using an Airbus A 340-300 to operate this route and will be the only airline offering nonstop service between Taiwan and the UK as a result since its main EVA Air flies to LHR from TPE via Bangkok. The flight schedule is as follows:

Days of operation: TUE/THU/SUN

CI 069 Dep TPE 0945 Arr LHR 1705
CI 070 Dep LHR 2115 Arr TPE 1815+1

Aeroflot

Aeroflot of Russia has officially confirmed that in order to cater for the peak summer season rush in 2010, it will be increasing its flights to New York JFK between June-September only from the current daily flights to 10 weekly nonstop. All services will be operated by a Boeing 767-300ER and the the flight schedule of the 3 extra weekly flights is as follows:

Days of operation: TUE/THU/SAT

SU 313 Dep SVO 1005 Arr JFK 1220
SU 314 Dep JFK 1420 Arr SVO 0700+1

Egypt Air

Egypt Air has officially announced few changes to its international route network for the Summer 2010 IATA season. The main highlights are as follows:

NRT - frequencies increased from 3 to 6 weekly flights using a B 773ER.

LHR - capacity reduced from daily B 772A + weekly A 332 to 8 weekly A 332s.

MXP - frequencies increased to double daily nonstop flights using a B 738.

PIA

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has revealed on the GDS system that it will be suspending all of its flights to GLA-Glasgow, Scotland from January 17th onwards. Currently, twice weekly flights are flown from Lahore using an A 310-300 but the service has struggled to compete effective against Emirates and those offering connections from GLA via LHR/MAN to Pakistan.

China Eastern

China Eastern Airlines has officially announced that they have placed a large order with Airbus for the purchase of 16 brand new Airbus A 330s to fuel further its regional expansion in Asia. MU has not indicated however if these orders are for the -200 or -300 version of which the latter is the most popular version in the Far East.