SN to Mumbai or Delhi?

[nordikcam]

Hi, any news about those flights from BRU after 27 of march ? Do SN entering this market ? Thx !

[crew1990]

What is sûre is that it won't be Delhi. Mumbai is still under investigation.

[sn26567]

Is anyone surprised by the slow reactions of the Indian administration?

[sean1982]

As Lufthansa needs to decide about full ownership in april (3 Days later) I dont think the delay is in India but in FRA. LH allready has flights to BOM you see.

[White Light]

LH allready has flights to BOM you see.

and might want Belgian passengers to fly to BOM via FRA (or even ZRH).
Another test for LH's commitment to SN !

[sean1982]

Or MUC

[Inquirer]

Yet Toronto got launched in the blink of an eye almost: why would the same not apply for that route then?
I think we are reading a bit too much into it. Just because another airline of their group already serves a place doesn't seem to be a problem for them accepting internal competition by Brussels Airlines launching a Canadian route, so I doubt it is going to be problem for India too, provided the business case can be made and the local government is willing to go along. India is notoriously bureaucratic however.
Did they specify when a decision was due in their PR in which they've stated their intention to serve India?
I think the bureaucracy is one thing, yet the business case is another one in the face of the 3 Arabian carriers serving BRU! Inda is one of their main markets, of course. Fingers crossed, I'd say.

[airbuske]

If they will launch Mumbai it won't be before November 2016.

[sn26567]

A bold idea: why would SN not open a route to Mumbai via Tehran? Sabena was flying that route with a 707 in the 1970s. Two birds in one shot!

[teach]

A bold idea: why would SN not open a route to Mumbai via Tehran? Sabena was flying that route with a 707 in the 1970s. Two birds in one shot!

These aren't the 1970s anymore: people want direct flights if possible, or one stop max where that stop is BRU. You're not going to be attracting a lot of connecting traffic either end when there's an additional stop, especially since most other European airlines have direct flight from Europe to India. That stopover being Tehran of all places wouldn't exactly attract many passengers to the Brussels - Mumbai route either, to put it mildly...

Oh, and 'stone', not 'shot'

[b720]

BOM does have a chance. O.D. from/to BRU (antwerp) exists. Connections from regional UK and from JFK (and UA flights) and CANADA (both routes AC and SN) should make 4 x week to BOM possible on SN metal.
Another route SN must consider is BEY. ME flights are fully booked throughout the year, and prices are not cheap! Seems lots of the PAX carried are connecting on SN African routes. Africa, USA, CANADA, and French connections plus O/D should make the route to BEY possible.

[MD-11forever]

As Lufthansa needs to decide about full ownership in april (3 Days later) I dont think the delay is in India but in FRA. LH allready has flights to BOM you see.

Or maybe there is another reason: SN simply does not have an aircraft available yet to fly the route?

[DannyVDB]

Not yet, but also in their inflight magazine they state they will have a tenth A330 later this year.

Even though they say they will possibly start flights to Lagos and Libreville that would leave room for 3 or 4 flights a week to Mumbai. I expect Lagos/Libreville in combination with each other (maximum 3 flights), or with another existing African flight.

So one plane could support both India / African routes ...

Cheers,
Danny

[sean1982]

My guess is more africa and no India

[Conti764]

Yet Toronto got launched in the blink of an eye almost: why would the same not apply for that route then?

Open skies...

[airbuske]

Not yet, but also in their inflight magazine they state they will have a tenth A330 later this year.

Even though they say they will possibly start flights to Lagos and Libreville that would leave room for 3 or 4 flights a week to Mumbai. I expect Lagos/Libreville in combination with each other (maximum 3 flights), or with another existing African flight.

So one plane could support both India / African routes ...

Cheers,
Danny

if they fly to Mumbai it will be 5 weekly flights while Lagos/Librewille would be 3 or 4 weekkly flights.
If the start Mumbai only they still can increase flight to an other destination with at least 1 additional flight.

[sn-remember]

I just hear that AI is starting the del-vie route after OS decided to close the DEL station.
The new services shall be operated using a Boeing 787-8 on a 3 weekly schedule :
Days - 3/5/7
AI 135 Dep DEL 1400 Arr VIE 1845
AI 136 Dep VIE 2245 Arr DEL 0925+1
..
i wonder if they are considering serving BRU, another *alliance hub which would fit the roster nicely on the 4 other days of the week ? Nice opportunity too I would suggest, since 9W are pulling out from BRU ... Ideas ?

[b720]

I would hope not! Service is very poor, putting it mildly.. No comparison to Jet.. All Indian people I know, try their best to avoid AI. They rather fly LX or LH via ZRH or FRA than a direct AI. I hope that SN will take over the BRU - BOM route..

[Flanker2]

Why don't SN do it with tag-on to DEL?

[b720]

I think that the absolute majority of traffic between Belgium and India is to and from Mumbai and the area..I assume that pax from the Delhi area would fly to BRU to connect ..a stop in BOM will add another stop before they reach their final destination..when they can fly most major European and Indian airlines direct to..Europe.. I think that Mumbai is the in,y destination SN can make work in India, specially if the prtner with LX and LH, offering daily and multiple daily with their partners along with their own 4 or 5 rotations per week..