Hot on the trails of SriLankan Airlines joining oneworld, Air India seems to be working on all frontiers to get set to join Star Alliance. While there have been a lot of news reports in the past couple of days, this interview with the CEO of Star Alliance, Mark Schwab seems to nail the date down to June or July 2014 after an endorsement from the CEO’s of other Star Alliance members as of 23 June 2014. Our CEOs get together in London on the occasion of the new Star Alliance terminal at London Heathrow on 23 June where we expect an endorsement vote to be taken up on Air India joining Star. And we are just beginning to coordinate…
Air India
Tag Archives for Air India.
Air India to start Delhi–Rome/Milan flights from June 2014
In its classic manner, Air India is putting out a new flight between Delhi and Rome/Milan from June 6, 2014 but there is no marketing or the mention of this flight on their website, yet. You can’t even look up the route on Air India’s own website. As per AirlineRoute.net, Air India is returning to Italy as of June 2014. The flight will do a triangular routing, just like their Australia segments between Melbourne/Sydney, and the schedule will be as following: AI123 DEL1420 – 1930MXP2100 – 2210FCO 788 246AI122 MXP2100 – 2210FCO2335 – 1015+1DEL 788 246 AI123 DEL1420 – 1905FCO2040 – 2200MXP 788 x246AI122 FCO2040 – 2200MXP2330 – 1015+1DEL 788 x246 It is a very interesting development from two perspectives.…
Air India Award Seats at 25% off for travel till May 31, 2014
Update: It is now official and Air India has put out a promotion page as well. Air India seems to be on a roll these days with its frequent flyer program. I am guessing while I had a view that they are the most miser program out there, someone is working to change my view a bit. They still don’t provide 100% flown miles like Jet Airways does, but they have created new opportunities to earn miles such as the SBI Air India Credit Card, which can let you earn miles at about 8 INR spend per mile earned if you go for the top end variant. Now, a new unannounced mileage seat sale has come into play from today…
Flight AI 682: Cochin – Mumbai, Air India, Economy
Mumbai Airport Terminal 2 Clipper Lounge, Mumbai Terminal 2 Courtyard by Marriott Hotel, Kochi Airport Clipper Lounge Cochin If I haven’t mentioned this before, the Cochin Airport is made to look more like arriving at a red-brick palace than arriving at an airport. Here is what it looked from outside. We spent a brief moment pre-security at the dead Clipper Lounge, and then proceeded to clear security check, where I realised my palatial analogy was going to fit even better. This airport missed anything that was modern, and was full of wooden chairs (more like side pieces from couches) from another generation. My first time there and I sure was surprised. The wait was prolonged, because like it always happens,…
Amex MR to adjust mileage transfer ratio (downwards) in India again
Last year, American Express went about readjusting the cost of transferring MR points into miles with various programs they partner with. While the usual transfer rate used to be 1.6 MR = 1 Mile, after last year’s readjustment everything except JPMiles and Air India Flying Returns Points, everything was 2 MR = 1 Mile. Now, as per email communication being sent out to members today, this will change as of May 2014 as well: Effective May 10, 2014, there will be a change in airline miles redemption for Jet Airways and Air India. The existing Membership Rewards redemption rate of 1 JPMile for every 1.6 Membership Rewards Points and 1 Air India Mile for every 1.25 Membership Rewards Points would…
Air India status matches work
Last week, I had written about the opportunity that existed to get Gold and Silver Status with Air India, depending on your Air India SBI Credit Card and your status with certain other competing airlines. While I had sent in my request for a status match a few days before I wrote about this post, I expected to do a follow-up or few with SBI Cards and/or Air India before getting this Gold Status, and I wasn’t even sure if I was going to get it or not. It did not matter much because at the moment I am a sporadic Air India flyer with most of my business with Jet Airways. Anyhow, there was radio silence from the other…
Air India offering double miles in March–April 2014
Air India put out a new promotion earlier this week, where they are offering double miles for flying on select routes from March 15, 2014 to April 30, 2014. These double miles are double for your eligible class of flying, and hence if you’re booked deep discount economy fares (E class, for instance), you will only get double of 25% of miles for the distance you fly (in case of domestic flights). And yes, Air India does offer 500 miles per sector as web booking bonus as well. Personally, I don’t find this a very attractive offer, since booking the same segments with Jet Airways would give me 100% of flown miles as credit, and 500 miles as online booking…
Status Match available on Air India Flying Returns
SBI credit cards started to issue Air India co-branded credit cards last year, and they are maybe one of the best airline credit cards out there from an Indian perspective. Take an example, if you get the Signature version of the card, you get: 20,000 Air India miles to start-up on payment of first year annual fees 1 Air India upgrade voucher on sign-up 20,000 Air India miles bonus on spending INR 3 lakhs in the year 20,000 Air India miles bonus and Air India Silver Club status on spending INR 5 lakhs in the year 50,000 Air India miles bonus and Air India Gold Club status on spending INR 10 lakhs in the year Air India / SBI Cards…
Air India considering pruning First Class service
As it prepares to join into the Star Alliance, Air India is also considering taking some wise measures to improve it’s balancesheet. As per the airline, the occupancy in First Class on its international routes is usually low, and a lot of government officials decide to upgrade themselves complimentary for this reason. As per the Economic Times, Air India is now taking steps towards closing down the First Class on its long haul routes such as Newark & Chicago. While this may not be happy news for award ticket seekers who would have loved to try out Air India, I guess it is a sensible decision to have a two class configuration, much in line with most other airlines around…
Air India offers lounge access in Delhi for INR 500
Air India has been operating a new lounge at the Delhi Airport Terminal 3 since a few months now. While I haven’t been inside this lounge, I’ve walked by on my way to the other lounges at the Domestic wing of this terminal. It is an expansive lounge, with the looks of buffet meals, big couches and is generally empty, because most of the traffic is directed to the Plaza Premium Lounge by the credit card companies, Jet Airways and Priority Pass. However, Air India offers paid lounge access to this lounge for a small sum of INR 500 ($8) only per visit (valid for two hours), and you can also ask for a shower for another INR 200 to…
Air India to introduce Premium Economy aka European Business Class on some routes
Air India largely has deployed an Airbus 320 series fleet on domestic operations, but these come in two varieties: All Economy and Economy + Business seating. The decision to make all economy seating happened a couple of years back when Air India found itself not being able to sell premium cabins on non-metro routes to the extent it wished it could. Anyhow, they are now trying to monetise the limited opportunity that exists on some of these routes, such as Delhi – Guwahati – Imphal, with the introduction of a Premium Economy class of service on these A320 serviced routes. The strategy is similar to European carriers, who create a business class section on intra Europe routes by blocking off…
