The Hindu Business Line : AI proposes more flights to US, UK

AIR India, which plans to add two leased Boeing 777 aircraft to its fleet next month, has drawn up plans to expand the number of flights it operates to the US and the UK, a senior airline official said here on Saturday.

AI plans to have a daily flight from Los Angeles and Chicago to the country and back.

Currently, the airline operates three flights a week on the Mumbai-Frankfurt-Los Angeles sector. In addition, it operates six weekly flights to Chicago.

The four flights to Los Angeles will be operated on the Mumbai-Frankfurt-Los Angeles sector with a Boeing 747-400 aircraft.

Similarly, the three flights on the Delhi-Frankfurt-Los Angeles sector will be operated with a Boeing 777-200 ER aircraft, while all the flights to Chicago will be operated with a Boeing 747-400 aircraft.

The start of the new flights will see AI offering 25 flights a week to the US from India.

The airline has announced that it is to introduce four terminator flights on the Mumbai-London-Mumbai sector from December 2 this year. The new flights are to be operated on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

Currently, the airline operates three terminator flights - two on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad-London-Ahmedabad-Mumbai sector and one on the Mumbai-Delhi-London-Delhi-Mumbai sector. These flights are in addition to the 10 flights that AI operates to the US through London. Besides, it also proposes to add another five flights to London from April next year.

AI plans to add flights to more international destinations under a programme, which should be finalised by June next year, the senior airline official said.