India routes-Bangalore torpedoed!

[ncr]

India's Jet Airways upbeat about Thailand (http://etna.mcot.net/query.php?nid=27150)

BANGKOK, Jan 9 (TNA) - India's Jet Airways will start operating direct flights from Delhi and Calcatta to Bangkok from January 23, it was announced on Tuesday.

Jet Airways chairman Naresh Goyal said at a press conference to announce the new service that the carrier is confident in the Thai government and the Thai economy, and that the new services will facilitate more travel among both Thais and Indians.

Jet Airways will operate 14 flights a week from Delhi and Calcutta to Thailand using Boeing 737-800 aircraft, and plans to use Airbus A330 to operate the Bangkok-Delhi route next year.

Tourism Authority of Thailand deputy governor Surapol Sawetseranee said statistics show steady increase in numbers of Indian visitors to the Kingdom. In 2006, over 370,000 tourists from India visited Thailand, an 18 per cent increase from 2005. The joint aim by the governments of Thailand and India to fill airline capacity of 10,000 passengers per week is likely to be met soon, he added. (TNA)-E007

[jpatokal]

This is the results of the negotiations last year (http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2006/02/16/stories/2006021600731100.htm). And it's not just to Thailand who's increasing flights to India. International Herald Tribune (http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/01/10/business/AS-FIN-Singapore-India-More-Flights.php):
Officials concluded two days of discussions this week in New Delhi with the signing of a memorandum of understanding that will pave the way for carriers of both sides to increase the number of flights between Singapore and the Indian cities of Chennai, Bangalore and New Delhi, a Ministry of Transport statement said.

The agreement also grants airlines from both countries additional "fifth freedom" traffic rights — or the ability to pick up passengers or cargo on each other's territory en route to other destinations — and makes possible the establishment of a new air link between the southern Indian city of Coimbatore and Singapore, the statement said.

There are currently 142 weekly passenger flights between Singapore and India.

More flights to Delhi are certainly welcome, currently SQ has one flight a day which is always packed. No mention of flights to Mumbai (Bombay) though, which is served 2x daily but is usually even more impossible to get on...

[GWR]

Nok Air cancels Indian route but pledges to expand network
Published on November 20, 2007

Nok Air, the budget airline of Thai Airways International, is cancelling its daily Bangkok-Bangalore route, due mainly to aircraft non-availability and higher jet-oil prices.

This Friday will see the final flight on the route.

The airline began its Bangalore run amid much fanfare. Although the airline says the route has been very successful, it is nonetheless cancelling it temporarily.

CEO Patee Sarasin said in a statement that several considerations had forced the company to reconsider its international operations, resulting in the suspension of this route despite a steadily increasing passenger-load factor.

Those considerations include an unexpected shortage of aircraft, increasing need for additional human resources and constant rises in the cost of jet fuel.

Patee said Nok Air always conducted extensive research before launching a route, whether international or domestic, in order to make sure it afforded the company a strategic advantage, strengthened its network and matched its revenue-generation plan. "There is absolutely no question Nok Air will continue to develop our network further, both domestically and internationally, to meet our overall business plan," said Patee.

He said to achieve and go beyond company expectations, as well as those of the passengers, Nok Air needed more aircraft and more human resources.

Nok Air has added another two leased aeroplanes and is in negotiations for additional aircraft.

The Economic Times reported Nok Air's passenger-load factor had fallen to 40 per cent.

"In India, international low-cost carriers take more time to turn a profit, but they withdraw their operations soon. Also, the return-fare difference - including taxes - between Nok Air and full-service carriers like Thai Airways is about 3,000-4,000 rupees [Bt2,600 to Bt3,400]. So Indian passengers prefer a full-service carrier to paying for food and blankets on Nok Air."

All passengers who have booked seats on the route for after this Friday will be transferred to Thai Airways.

Nok Air has not yet launched additional international routes as planned. It is set to fly to Ho Chi Minh City, Macau or Hong Kong, Madras, New Delhi and Hyderabad.

The airline will take delivery of four new aeroplanes this year and eight more next year.

Another low-cost carrier, Jetstar Asia, withdrew its five flights per week on the Bangalore-Singapore route, citing low passenger numbers.

..........

Suchat Sritama The Nation

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/11/20/business/business_30056721.php