By Japan K Pathak
Only one flight that presently connects Ahmedabad and Europe directly will commence its last journey on 2nd November this year.
Yes, we are talking about Ahmedabad-Frankfurt flight of Air India which will cease to exist in winter schedule starting from November this year.
Air India made Frankfurt its only hub outside India last year, and started Ahmedabad-Frankfurt daily flights. However eventually Air India experienced Frankfurt hub too costly. Thus the it was decided to drop Frankfurt as hub from 2010 winter schedule. This has resulted into cancellation of Ahmedabad-Frankfurt direct flight from 2 November this year.
Air India has taken a decision to make Delhi’s new T3 terminal, a new hub replacing Frankfurt.
All those who want to travel to Chicago from Ahmedabad will board Air India flight from Ahmedabad, and reach Delhi. From Delhi, they will get direct flight to Chicago. Ditto for those wanting to travel to JFK New York. This means, instead of Frankfurt, the passengers will change their flight and, halt for some time at Delhi airport.
For those wanting to travel to Newark airport will be taken to Mumbai in Air India flight, from where a direct flight will be operated to Newark.
Custom and immigration procedures will be carried out at Ahmedabad airport only for Chicago, Newark flights, the practice which is followed at present also.
The flights to the U.S. via Delhi airport will take less time than existing Frankfurt route.
Changes that would be effective from November 2010:
-Ahmedabad – Frankfurt flight will be canceled
-Ahmedabad – Chicago, Ahmedabad – New York passengers will be taken to Delhi, from where direct flight will take them to Chicago.
-Ahmedabad – Newark passengers will be taken to Mumbai, from where direct flight will take them to Newark.
-The journey will be shorter in duration. Customs/Immigration will be completed at Ahmedabad only.
-The halt at Delhi airport will be shorted than the halt at Frankfurt airport presently.
-Frankfurt airport check every Indian/Pakistani passenger twice, even though the fact that they are previously cleared at other airport. Such biased treatment will end, as Delhi hub is our own.
-Frankfurt falls just at the middle of the journey between Ahmedabad and America, however Delhi hub will come just at the starting of the journey from Ahmedabad and just before the end of the journey if you traveled from the U.S. This would be bit tedious.
-Ahmedabad Newark flight AI144 will leave Ahmedabad at 23.05 and reach Mumbai within an hour. The flight AI191 will leave Mumbai airport at 01.30 am. The plane will be B777. This means, there will be about one and half hour halt at Mumbai airport which is fair enough. From Mumbai, the flight will travel nonstop to Newark airport and reach there at 07.15 am local time. On return journey, the flight AI144 will leave Newark airport at 16.25 local time in Jet plane, and reach Mumbai at 17.40 local time, and Ahmedabad at 20.15 local time.
-Let’s talk about Chicago one: Air India flight AI633 will leave Ahmedabad at 21.00 to reach Delhi at 22.25. Air India flight AI127 will leave New Delhi at 0105 am local time and reach Chicago at 0600 hours local time. On return path Air India plane AI126 will leave Chicago airport at 14.45 local time and reach Delhi airport at 17.00 local time. The flight AI632 will leave New Delhi airport at 18.55 and reach Ahmedabad at 20.20.
One more example of discrimination to Gujarat
Way can’t Gujarati have a direct flight for Newark or Chicago from Ahmedabad? Delhi is OK but Mumbai custom department staffs are just dogs. They are the most corrupted people you can see in India. I was very happy when there was Ahmedabad Frankfurt flight; I didn’t have to face Mumbai’s corrupted people. I think now I won’t take Air India any more. The Air India staff at Mumbai also lousy, they don’t care for travelers. They delay the flight 90%. My Gujarati people, let’s quit Air India. Don’t let them play with Gujarat
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aditya singh Reply:
September 21st, 2010 at 7:55 am
I agree with you…this schedule is pure crap…Its better to fly emirates and qatar from Ahmedabad…
Let Air India goto hell man…
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It is a welcome news.But what about passengers from Kolkata ? We get a very raw deal at Frankfurt on way to Chicago and back. Not only that no Air India rep. is visible ( with AI batch ) but no one else is helpful Even the wheel chair passengers are forced to walk long distances .I was appalled to see a gentleman literally touching the knees of an airport employee to help him to trace his wheel chaired wife missing for a hour .AI forces all passengers to get down at Frankfurt without any valid reason even if the same flight continues. We have decided not to avail AI from next time if Frankfurt is not dropped. Hope the situation at Delhi will be better , particularly for wheel chair passengers.
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Why cant’s we have direct flight to PARIS from Ahmedabad?
There are many flight running by different Airlines between
PARIS-MUMBAI
PARIS-Bangalore
PARIS-Delhi
Many people are taking these flights to reach Ahmedabad. On the other hand they can route thier journey from Ahmedabad also.
If the Frankfurt was providing good traffic, PARIS-Ahmedabad can also provide surely a good traffic. Even it can be alternative for people from UK/USA to Gujarat/Mumbai.
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I am very happy that Air India discotinued going to Newark via Frankfurt.It saves us going through the rigorous security checks even though we are in transit at Frankfurt.
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This is great but Lot of traveller go to Ahmedabad.
I would have liked a direct flight from Newark/JFK to Ahmedabad non stop.
Newark-BOmbay route is busy route and BOM being hub for many destination in India, tickes gets booked 3-4 months in advance becomes difficult to get unless you pay higher rate.
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Making an Indian city as hub instead of FrankFurt is definitely a welcome decision as it would reduces maintenance cost. But then it should have been considered that the flight was being operated for people from Ahemedabad region and could have been made a direct flight to US. Delhi & Mumbai are already busy airports. Being a traveller from Ahmedabad airport for past couple of years and seen the condition it gets into after one heavy rainfall, I feel the govt. needs to redevelop the airport to international standards instead of moving the hub of busy traffic route to already developed cities.
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