21 more flights to INDIA fm UK

[Advisor]

Virgin Atlantic gets an additional ten weekly flights to INDIA from the UK from today. The British Aviation Regulatory Authority aka CAA, granted British Airways, British Midland (BMI) & Virgin Atlantic rights to mount the needed 21 additional flights to INDIA.

Virgin was given 10 flight passages, with 7 to British Airways and the rest 4 to British Midland.

Virgin’s Branson sees this as a victory . Virgin currently operates 3 flights a week to New Delhi under a code-share with Air India. Virgin can now operate a daily flight to New Delhi and 3 weekly flights to Mumbai. Come early 2005 and Branson’s smile widens.

British Airways was already under competition from Branson’s Virgin feels the heat more as it was the only carrier on this route to enjoy such priviledges (Statistics show about 75% 8O of First and Business Class passengers fly BA direct fm INDIA to UK).

British Midland has not commented so far but just said that it was happy and may commence with 4 return flights between the UK and INDIA.

[Humberside]

For bmi the aircraft is expected (this is not confirmed) to do MAN-LAS and shuttle down to do LHR-Mumbai

[Avro]

Will BMI aquire an additional long haul plane or not ?

[Advisor]

Bmi, Britain's second-biggest full-service carrier will launch services to INDIA in March 2005. My personal view is that the airline desperately needs new long-haul routes following two tough years in the wake of an industry downturn and the failure of the United States and Europe to reach an "open skies" deal.

Can Anybody Please Tell Me!
Who is running BMI now?Last was i remember, Austin Reid. And some people like Nigel Turner, Tim Bye, Alan Bird, The boss chariman Michael Bishop and yes about 30% with Lufthansa.

Also confirmed resources state that Branson, BA Chief Executive Rod Eddington, and bmi Executive Chairman Michael Bishop testified before the CAA at a rare capacity hearing in London last month for flight rights to INDIA.

[Advisor]

The latest i hear that BA was lobbying hard to get all the 21 flights a week to INDIA that are up for grabs.

BA has accused the Civil Aviation Authority of making 'flawed decisions' in the battle to control the new passages to India. The CAA gave it seven of the new flights last month.

BA said the CAA's view of the UK-India market ignored figures that show 60% of passengers travelling to India change planes through Europe or the Middle East.

BA's appeal document arrived slightly ahead of appeals from Virgin Atlantic and British Midland BMI before last night's midnight deadline.