A decision by Indian Airlines to make Melbourne its sole Australian destination will bring an employment boost to Victoria when flights begin this year, Industry Minister Theo Theophanous said today.
Mr Theophanous said India’s largest airline would fly from five cities – New Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Calcutta and Bangalore – to Melbourne via Singapore.
The first flight from New Delhi is due to arrive on November 1 and flights from other cities will begin by January 2008.
Mr Theophanous said the move reflected the growing relationship the state has with India.
In the year to last September, Victoria hosted 29,000 visitors from India.
Victoria’s Tourism Minister Tim Holding said India’s one billion residents, particularly the large middle-class, were an increasingly important visitor market for the state.
“India is the second largest travel market in Asia after China and one of the region’s fastest growing markets,” Mr Holding said.
“Indian Airlines will give Victoria an edge in marketing initiatives for next summer’s cricket between Australia and India, as well as programs to develop education and business tourism.”
By: KabirT - 17th February 2007 at 17:02
But wouldnt it be the same since AI and IC will merge withing the next few months?
If scheduled correctly, i think this may even put competition to EK as well, if the IC MEL flights are connected onto Euro bound destinations with AI.
Well, lets wait till the merger happens. 🙂
I dont think Euro bound people from Australia will get anything out of this route. They have much better connections with TK, QF, SQ etc. MEL-SIN-DEL in order to catch a EU bound flight would make very little sense.
By: JU580 - 17th February 2007 at 15:59
Its not AI, its IC. IC plans to lease A330s for these flights. I had been lobbying for this route for 2 years and the idiots start it when i am shifting out of Australia. 😡
IC will have stiff competition though, TK, AI/QF, SQ, CX, Malaysian offer very good connections to Australia, specially Melbourne. SQ being the best of the lot, in terms of connectivity, by offering two daily flights to Melbourne.
Few things that might give IC the edge is if they have mid-day or mid-afternoon flights out of India, sparing passengers the congestion vows being faced at hubs like Delhi and Mumbai these days.
But wouldnt it be the same since AI and IC will merge withing the next few months?
If scheduled correctly, i think this may even put competition to EK as well, if the IC MEL flights are connected onto Euro bound destinations with AI.
By: KabirT - 16th February 2007 at 12:02
Sounds quite a big entry into MEL by AI. Any news on frequencies and ac to be used on the routes?
Its not AI, its IC. IC plans to lease A330s for these flights. I had been lobbying for this route for 2 years and the idiots start it when i am shifting out of Australia. 😡
IC will have stiff competition though, TK, AI/QF, SQ, CX, Malaysian offer very good connections to Australia, specially Melbourne. SQ being the best of the lot, in terms of connectivity, by offering two daily flights to Melbourne.
Few things that might give IC the edge is if they have mid-day or mid-afternoon flights out of India, sparing passengers the congestion vows being faced at hubs like Delhi and Mumbai these days.
By: steve rowell - 16th February 2007 at 10:07
As far as i know they only operate a fleet of A320’s,321’s and 319’s……i don’t know if they have any long haul aircraft on order
By: JU580 - 16th February 2007 at 06:33
Sounds quite a big entry into MEL by AI. Any news on frequencies and ac to be used on the routes?
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February 15, 2007 at 10:53 am