BENGALURU- Air India (AI), the flag carrier of India, is rumored to be looking to start two new international long-haul flights from Bengaluru (BLR). If the rumors are to be believed, plans are afoot for the airline to launch direct flights from Bengaluru to Frankfurt (FRA) in Germany and Melbourne (MEL) in Australia.
In 2023, The airline announced that it would make Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru (BLR) its third hub in India, which is South India’s largest and busiest airport.
Air India Bengaluru Flights
Bengaluru, the Silicon Valley of India is an important commercial center with a growing demand for international travel. The city has non-stop flights to several important destinations such as San Francisco (SFO), Tokyo (NRT), and Sydney (SYD).
With these newly speculated Air India flights, it could further strengthen the position of Bengaluru Airport as a key international gateway for the country. It may, however, be the initial move toward network expansion from Kempegowda International Airport (BLR), after the airline’s decision to set up its hub in the airport.
Bengaluru-Frankfurt (BLR-FRA) Route
Frankfurt is one of the busiest and among the most important aviation centers in Europe for business and leisure travel. As the main hub for Lufthansa (LH), Frankfurt (FRA) is a big airport where travelers are connected to Germany’s financial capital and a wide scope of global destinations.
The proposed Air India (AI) Bengaluru (BLR)-Frankfurt (FRA) service is expected to provide Indian travelers with a new travel option.
Demand for the Bengaluru (BLR) – Frankfurt (FRA) route is really tremendous. In 2023 itself, the sector witnessed about 117,000 passengers. This again explains why Lufthansa (LH) deploys one of the largest aircraft in its fleet B747-8i in the sector.
This possibly also highlights why Air India (AI) is looking at Frankfurt (FRA) as the next destination in the EU after London Heathrow (LHR) from Bengaluru (BLR).
Lufthansa is the only airline to operate non-stop flights between the two cities currently. Air India’s rumored entry into this sector could actually change the game. More direct flights, particularly by different airlines get in healthy competition in the sectors. More flights could mean, enhanced connectivity and competitive fare options for the travelers.
Air India’s entry could further help in the growth in demand in the sector since direct flights can well stimulate the demand. Air India could cater to the growing needs of this sector consisting of mainly business travelers, expatriates, students, and leisure travelers.
Bengaluru-Melbourne (BLR-MEL)
Melbourne has an affluent Indian population, of which a substantial percentage belong to the southern Indian state of Karnataka and other nearby southern Indian states. Other than that, cultural diversity and the availability of beautiful sights attract tourists.
The city also attracts students from other nations who are willing to pursue higher education. There is surely potential for a direct flight from the South India to Melbourne.
Demand from Bengaluru to Melbourne is also good. In 2023, the Bengaluru-Melbourne sector saw almost 55,000 passengers. The numbers tell that there is good potential for this sector.
Currently, Air India operates direct flights from Delhi (DEL) to Sydney (SYD) and Melbourne (MEL). At the same time, Bengaluru (BLR) has a non-stop connection to Sydney (SYD) by Qantas Airlines (QF).
There was another news earlier where an Australian tour operator said that Air India would soon introduce its Bengaluru to Melbourne route by the year 2024 ending December. It was also baseless news. Moreover, the Melbourne Airport CEO had been holding talks for a connection with Bengaluru with many Indian and Australian airlines.
Direct service from Bengaluru to Melbourne would bring a lot of advantages, including less transit time and no layovers to hassle.
Bottom line
While Air India has not officially confirmed these flights, these rumors will surely be something to keep an eye on. Especially, since Air India (AI) has established a hub at Kempegowda International Airport.
These routes, if started, could significantly enhance the airline’s global reach from its Bengaluru (BLR) hub and could also serve much-needed key international cities from Bengaluru (BLR)
Only time will tell if these rumors translate into reality. The possibility of Air India’s expansion to Frankfurt (FRA) and Melbourne (MEL) is a promising development for Bengaluru.
Feature Image by Utkarsh Thakkar | Vimanspotter
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