By IANS,
Hyderabad : Air India will introduce a daily Hyderabad-Chicago flight via Delhi and Frankfurt March 29, an official said here Friday.
Air India deputy general manager (commercial) Ashok Kumar told reporters here that the flight will depart from Hyderabad at 9 p.m. and reach Chicago the next day at 10.50 a.m. (local time). The flight will depart from Chicago at 4 p.m. and reach Hyderabad the next day at 2.05 a.m.
The launch of this flight follows the airline’s recent decision to make Frankfurt the hub for operations to Europe and the US.
Kumar said that making Frankfurt a hub for operations to Europe and US will offer better connectivity and reach for passengers from the southern cities.
Air India already operates daily flights from Hyderabad to New York (Newark Liberty International Airport) via Mumbai and Frankfurt as well as to New York (John F. Kennedy International Airport) and London via Mumbai. It also operates daily flights to Frankfurt via Delhi and Mumbai.
“We plan to operate direct flights to Frankfurt so that the passengers can reach there or catch onward flights to other destinations in Europe and the US with little time lost in transit,” Kumar said.
The official, however, said this would be possible only if the load factor improves beyond 200 passengers per flight.
He said the economic slowdown has affected the aviation industry and several airlines have stopped or reduced their operations.
“Air India is taking it as an opportunity by introducing new flights and restructuring operations,” Kumar said.
The other highlights of the summer schedule from Hyderabad includes the option to travel via Mumbai to Chicago and via Delhi to New York (JFK) at the same fare. Departure time from Hyderabad has been advanced to make convenient morning arrivals at the destinations. The transit time at Delhi and Mumbai has also been reduced.