Air Canada is launching a couple of interesting routes this winter. Not only will the airline fly nonstop from Vancouver to Bangkok, but Air Canada will also launch a new London to Mumbai flight.
Continue reading: Air Canada Adds Fifth Freedom London To Mumbai Flight
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
Air Canada actually operated this route before with a further tag sector to Singapore.
They ran YYZ-LHR-BOM-SIN with a mixture of L1011s and B747-200 Combis from 1985 to 1991 approx. if I recall right.
This isn't a new route. Air Canada flew this back in the 1980s. It continued on to Singapore as well. The magic of 5th freedom flights and always keeping them in your back pocket!
The stop is mainly there because the runway in BOM is short and has other takeoff restrictions that limit the takeoff fuel load which in turns limits the range. This is all multiplied by the fact that airlines have to fly further because of the Russia airspace closure.
IIRC, AC (and UA) could still fly direct to BOM, just not return. Pre war, the outbound from bound was notorious for taking empty seats to take off. Stopping in LHR is a multifaceted win, from connecting all AC and UA flights to BOM as well as ensuring full payload capability on the return
@kip - Is it the runway though? AI operates the EWR BOM route nonstop with a 77W (UA can’t even make it work with a 787-9 right now) and they have a higher baggage allowance than UA. AI 77Ws have auxiliary fuel tanks so I sense this has more to do with Russian airspace than the runway. Just food for thought.
The main runway in BOM 09/27 is 12000+ feet at sea level. 787-9 can do MTOW ISA departures with 9500 feet. Runway length is definitely not an issue.
AC operated LHR - India before.
There is a massive Indian population spread across the UK and the Toronto area (with many 1st generation Indians in Canada, from UK Indian parents)... so there are close ties between all 3 countries, and many Indians will opt for the UK - India service with little hesitation.
This is a great opportunity for AC and STAR ex UK to India nonstop.
Yes i actually flew london bombay sing on a tristar l1011 in 1986 in first class on air canada and it was a good old fashioned flight wiyh mega service ..an age pre tvs internet sliding doors showers bars etc just nice food and fellow passengers
I don't think the arrival in India is +2 - I think it is +1 from the +1 arrival in Europe.
"AI 77Ws have auxiliary fuel tanks"
There are no 77W with auxiliary fuel tanks. They aren't certified for it.
AA's 77Ls however, do. But they're on SFO.
"The direct air distance between Toronto and Mumbai is 7,775 miles, so with airspace closures this route can’t be operated nonstop anymore"
That's not true. AC has 77Ls that can do the extra distance with no problem.
Obviously, the airline doesn't believe they can make money doing that. But it's definitely possible to do.
The LHR to BOM route is not new. Air Canada flew that route when it flew YYZ-LHR-BOM-SIN in the mid 80s using their L1011 aircrafts. So the route between LHR and BOM basically has been reinstated.
Really? Wikipedia shows BOM being 11m above sea level and it is very close to the coast.
I'm sorry for picking up on a small thing - but there is no airport city as "New Delhi", it's just "Delhi". Just as similarly confusing as those living in Delhi thinking that they live in New Delhi, where the latter is just a tiny little administrative area within Delhi and hardly there are any residential neighborhoods except for a few politicians and civil servants that have quarters there.
Well, technically the airport serves the municipality of New Delhi which is the capital of the Republic of India, even though it is part of the larger New Delhi district which is in turn part of the Union Territory of Delhi (National Capital Territory - NCT), which is further in turn part of the National Capital Region - NCR.
No different than referring to Washington Reagan/National Airport even though it is located in Arlington, VA. Or indeed some Ryanair served airports that aren't even located in the same country that they are marketed for!
Sean - the common perception for the airport's reference city is Delhi, and so are most airports across the world display departure/arrival schedule to/from DEL as Delhi, not New Delhi (the only exception seems Singapore Changi and Dubai International, where the latter terminology is used).
It’s a great pity they don’t pick up passengers in Dublin I think it would be a great new destination
Yeah you’re probably right - My bad. But regardless AI is operating that route consistently with the 77W. Still wonder if runway length is the issue.
Does AA operate any 77Ls out of SFO? Didn’t think they had any wide bodies based there.
What is the reason Air Canada not operating same to Dublin as a fifth freedom flight, while resuming Vancouver to New Delhi flights ?
The flight to India will have a refueling stop in Dublin, but passengers won’t be able to get on or off there.
There is huge demand from Ireland to India non-stop. This is great opportunity.
Completely agree. There is huge demand from Ireland to India non-stop. This is great opportunity.