A few days ago, I wrote about the potential future routes of Jet Airways. The airline is due to get 6 77W planes back from Etihad, and they would clearly want to up their game, rather than have these lying around for another lessor to pick them up this time around. Jet Airways’ Boeing 77W planes are the only ones in the Jet Airways’ stable that have a three-class configuration, which includes some enclosed Suites for First Class as well.

It turns out, Jet Airways is deploying some of this capacity on the Mumbai – Dubai sector, and some on the Mumbai – Singapore sectors. The Singapore sector recently had one of the two daily flights up gauged to an Airbus 332, and people complained that the night flight, which is the one where one could use the beds better, was still on a 737.

Mumbai – Dubai – Mumbai on B77W from August 6, 2016

The Mumbai – Dubai sector, which perhaps sees a lot of evening traffic, is being upgraded from a 737 to a 77W, which not only adds capacity on the segment but adds a first class cabin as well. When the flight moves to being a 77W, the 20:25 hours flight is going to be discontinued. On Tuesdays however, the flight would be operated by an Airbus 330-200.

9W544 BOM1855 – 2035DXB 77W x2
9W544 BOM1855 – 2035DXB 332 2

9W543 DXB2205 – 0240+1BOM 77W x2
9W543 DXB2205 – 0240+1BOM 332 2

Mumbai – Singapore – Mumbai on B77W from August 6,2016

On the same day, the Mumbai – Singapore early morning flight will also be upgraded from a 737 to a 77W, which again, puts it head to head with Singapore Airlines on the route. Yes, it is not the A380, but the 77W is a sizeable plane and between the A332 and 77W, Jet Airways is adding a lot of seats as well as an upgraded experience on the Mumbai – Singapore route. Both the Mumbai – Singapore flights will be flown by the 77W through the weekend, and on some other days the A332s will be flown as per the schedule below. At least the product is homogenous in both the cases.

9W012 BOM0115 – 0925SIN 77W x2
9W012 BOM0115 – 0925SIN 332 2

9W010 BOM0955 – 1810SIN 77W x13
9W010 BOM0955 – 1810SIN 332 13

9W009 SIN1115 – 1415BOM 77W x2
9W009 SIN1115 – 1415BOM 332 2

9W011 SIN2005 – 2305BOM 77W x13
9W011 SIN2005 – 2305BOM 332 13

What to make out of these changes

Clearly Jet is back in the market and putting its best foot forward against its competitors, both on the Eastern and Western side. It could be that these flights are a statement of sorts that Jet Airways is back in the market, or it could also mean that Jet is again struggling to deploy capacity on longer haul routes where these planes are best suited. Who knows yet, but the experience is going to be much better on these planes than flying the B737

What do you guys make out of the new, yet un-announced up gauging of these flights?

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