It looks like Vistara may soon start flying between India and the United States. However, the route isn’t what you’d expect (or maybe it is?).
Continue reading: Vistara Plans Delhi To Newark Flight… Via London?!
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
Air India didn't just "try" the London-NYC route. They operated it continuously for nearly 50 years!
I actually prefer Gatwick over Heathrow since rail connections to London and the South East are much better. I’d fly this route just for that reason.
Nothing worse than arriving at Heathrow, walking what seems like 10 miles to the tube station, then sitting on the packed Piccadilly line for at least an hour.
I’d rather fly vistara with stopover than ual, aal, or Air India.
Assuming similar pricing.
I always consider the possibility of a London stopover when planning a Delhi trip, there are a number of people there to visit. Vistara @ Gatwick is more attractive to me than just about anyone @ Heathrow, assuming cost is roughly equivalent.
Ya exactly, it was simply "upgraded" to nonstop US flights after acquiring the capable aircraft for it!
Since Vistara exteded their codeshare agreement with Lufthansa, there may be a possibility that Vistara operates more frequent flights between Frankfurt and Delhi/Mumbai, instead of operating one-stop flights between USA and India which is highly competitive.
I think Vistara needs to familiarise with this route before they receive the crew rest fitted 787-9s and start operating non-stop. But I still wonder, during the break in London, what the dynamics would be, and how inconvenient would it be for passengers. I feel Vistara has to offer low priced tickets for people to prefer this flight, as the distance is long and passengers have to compromise on time.
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Meh, the usual boring Delhi-Somewhere flight. Ignoring Mumbai and Bangalore as usual. United's Mumbai-Newark is the only nonstop between Mumbai and USA currently - it was not discontinued even for a single day during the pandemic. Even AI hasn't given details about when is their Mumbai-Newark resuming.
While Delhi has 3x Newark daily, 2x SFO daily, 1x Chicago/DC/Vancouver/Toronto/Montreal. Bangalore will soon have 2x SFO daily, 1x Seattle daily. Fail to understand why Mumbai gets neglected every time, given there are lots of slots available at the BOM airport after Jet Airways went away.
If the pricing is competitive or preferably at a discount vs. UA, BA and Virgin, I'd be very interested in flying Vistara on a fifth-freedom route to LGW out of EWR in business class.
Reading this post reminds me that one of the airline discussion boards (hint: the FF-focused one) has referred to Vistara as Jet Airways 2.0.
Jet Airways rushed into longhaul US operations relatively fast with a one-stop connecting hub in Brussels that was already looking old-fashioned in the late 2000s. Its 777s were outfitted with heavy first-class suites, so they didn't have the range to fly nonstop to the US East Coast.
Vistara seems even less interested than Jet Airways in building a strong regional network, instead launch "prestige" longhaul routes to LHR, FRA, HND, CDG very recently. (Just look how Turkish or Emirates built their longhaul operations on top robust regional networks. They kind of go together.) Finally, their 787-9s don't have a crew rest facilities, so they can't fly nonstop even to NYC.
Instead of 2021, they seem like a throwback to 1981, when a single stop from the USA to India was probably a huge step up from the milk runs of the 70s and earlier. Good luck competing against the United and Air Canada nonstops.
Jet Airways 2.0 indeed.
Vistara,should fly direct to EWR. They could fly with one additional FDC. Block 2 seats for rest. In this way Fuel, Hotac, landing, and overflying fees is saved. As compared to London stopover. Plus instead of 3X make it 4X Flts to EWR.
This routing isn't all that unusual. Air Canada used to operate YYZ-LHR-DEL flights. Jet Airways used to fly East Coast to India via BRU.
@Luke - Even after the nonstops started from BOM and DEL, Air India ran AMD-LHR-EWR with 787s.
Simple reasons actually - Mumbai's infrastructure, logistics nightmare, shortage of slots, and exorbitant costs make it prohibitive for airlines to consider it a hub. T2 in Mumbai is newer than T3 in Delhi, but it came far too late. BOM has only one functional runway with a second as back-up, not allowing simultaneous operations. Furthermore, room for future growth is limited. Whereas, DEL has already started work on T4 and land for T5 has been allocated, the best alternative for growth in Bombay is building an airport outside the city. Finally, the infrastructure surrounding the airports is superior for mass-transit in cities like Delhi and Noida. All of these factors are unfavorable to Bombay and create risks for international airline operations. Bombay is a logistical nightmare, even for its daily citizens - let alone airline crews being shuttled around in peak hours traffic. Just my two cents as a former Bombay resident.
There are many smart comments here, so I can’t be disagreeable.
However, India, like some other countries, tends to be poor yields. Maybe that’s why the LGW stopover, for 5th freedom traffic?
I wonder if that’s why AA and UA are going after Bangalore, a more high-yield business center?
Was reading that the ME3 largest India market is Hyderabad from the US, and I have no clue about that city. Anyone?
Not sure regarding the accuracy of that statement. Pre-Covid, loads on average exceeded 80% on flights USAIndia. Chances are these 5th freedom operations are more due to operational and crew halt restrictions. The Bangalore and Hyderabad routes do indeed have highest passenger yields, but that's partially due to the relatively smaller number of options on these routes.
There are plenty for direct to Delhi options to fly from USA. And if you're flying to another airport, then you will end up having 2 stops. Like BLR, HYD, COK etc, it's possible to fly while stopping only once with Emirates, AI, Etihad , QA etc.