The Air India Domestic Routes That Go Out Of Their Way To Serve An Intermediate Stopover

By Pune Media On Oct 12, 2024 28

Air India, a national carrier noted for its huge domestic network, continues to dominate short-haul flights in the country. Its services include one-stop connections on routes under 500 miles long, with some as short as 167 miles. These domestic routes in India provide unique insights into the airline’s operational strategy, market presence, and competitive position. They cover busy urban corridors and secondary destinations.

Photo: Aerospace Trek | Shutterstock

These routes’ original and destination points range from 167 to 403 miles, with some direct flights also available. These one-stop routes strategically link bustling urban centers and secondary destinations across major Indian cities like Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Kolkata. They offer essential connectivity and present an intriguing alternative to direct flights, showcasing Air India’s operational strategy and market presence.

Photo: Markus Mainka | Shutterstock

Southern and Western India triangle: MAA, HYD, BLR, BOM

Photo: GCMap.com

Orig	Thru Point	Dest	Miles	Ops	Seats	Seat/Dep	ASMs
MAA	HYD	BLR	167	22	6,952	316.0	1,160,984
MAA	BOM	BLR	167	14	4,424	316.0	738,808
BLR	HYD	MAA	167	15	4,740	316.0	791,580
BLR	BOM	MAA	167	22	6,952	316.0	1,160,984
HYD	MAA	BLR	281	15	4,740	316.0	1,331,940
HYD	BOM	BLR	281	8	2,528	316.0	710.368
BLR	MAA	HYD	281	22	6,952	316.0	1,953,512

According to data from Cirium, an aviation analysis company, Air India operated four ultra-short one-stop routes of 167 miles each in October. These routes include the legs between Chennai (MAA) and bangalore airport (BLR) and Hyderabad (HYD) and Bangalore, with connections via Mumbai Airport (BOM) and Chennai.

Examined: The Routes Currently Served By Air India’s Airbus A350s

The most popular of these routes is domestic but the longest one is to Europe.

While the direct distance between Chennai (MAA) and Bangalore (BLR) is 167 miles, Air India adds a stop in Hyderabad (HYD), with the same flight number throughout the journey. For instance, the MAA-HYD and HYD-BLR legs share the same flight number, such as AI587. The aircraft sometimes fly from MAA to HYD and then from HYD to BLR, followed by a direct flight from BLR to MAA, forming a triangular route on the map.

Another example is the HYD-BLR (Hyderabad-Bangalore) route, which spans 281 miles but detours through Mumbai (BOM). While the distance between Hyderabad and Bangalore is relatively short, adding Mumbai as a stop allows Air India to serve passengers flying both segments under the same flight number, such as AI591.

Photo: Anand Balaji | Shutterstock

For these flights, Air India uses Airbus A350-900 aircraft. The widebody airplane carries 316 seats per departure, demonstrating the significant traffic volume between these important Indian towns. Given the nature of these busy sectors, competition is stiff. Airlines like indigo and Vistara also offer non-stop flights between these cities, meaning Air India must balance the efficiency of its stopover services with ticket pricing and seat availability to compete effectively.

Air India’s Various Special Liveries Over The Years: A Brief Guide

Air India has introduced a number of special liveries often to mark dates of national importance to India.

Northern India’s one-stop connections: IXJ, SXR, DEL

Photo: GCMap.com

Orig	Thru Point	Dest	Miles	Ops	Seats	Seat/Dep	ASMs
IXJ	SXR	DEL	314	5	910	182.0	285.740
SXR	IXJ	DEL	398	26	4,732	182.0	1,883,336
DEL	IXJ	SXR	398	31	5,642	182.0	2,245,516

In northern India, Air India applies the same model to routes like IXJ-SXR-DEL (Jammu-Srinagar-Delhi), where the airline operates flights with a stop in Srinagar before heading to Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport, even though the distance between IXJ-DEL is only 314 miles. Air India used a narrowbody aircraft, the Airbus A321, for this route. The intermediate stopovers are strategically placed to serve additional markets and increase connectivity.

Photo: Rahul Sapra | Shutterstock

IndiGo and SpiceJet also offer direct flights on these routes with narrowbody aircraft. The low-cost carrier from India, indiGo, is in the lead with multiple daily flights on these routes.

Northeast India’s key air links: DMU, GAU, CCU

Photo: GCMap.com

Orig	Thru Point	Dest	Miles	Ops	Seats	Seat/Dep	ASMs
DMU	GAU	CCU	403	31	5,766	186.0	2,323,698
CCU	GAU	DMU	403	31	5,766	186.0	2,323,698

The DMU-GAU-CCU (Dimapur-Guwahati-Kolkata) route is critical for air connectivity in northeastern India. While it’s only 403 miles between Dimapur and kolkata airport, adding an extra stop at Guwahati allows travelers to avoid the hassle of transferring flights. The same logic applies to the return journey from Kolkata to Dimapur, with Guwahati serving as the region’s primary hub for air travel.

Photo: Rahul Sapra | Shutterstock

Air India used a narrowbody aircraft, the Airbus A320neo, for this route. The company dominates the market between these cities by operating daily flights between DMU and GAU. However, unlike other routes listed above, Air India doesn’t operate direct flights between DMU and CCU in October; passengers prioritizing speed might still choose direct flights offered by IndiGo instead.

Merger with Vistara

Some airlines schedule numerous flights with the same flight number on the same day, which is a noteworthy practice within the airline industry. It might cause confusion among travelers, but it is especially common in Asia and North America, where strong demand frequently causes planes on popular routes to overlap.

What Would A Merger With Air India Mean For Vistara?

As the Tata Group consolidates its airline holdings, what does the future hold for Vistara?

Air India’s strategy of adding intermediate stops on domestic routes while retaining the same flight number is crucial for enhancing connectivity between multiple city pairs across India. This approach allows the airline to serve more destinations efficiently while simplifying the travel experience for passengers.

Air India will merge with Vistara on November 11, 2024. Starting the next day, all flights will be operated under the Air India brand. With a bigger fleet, more routes, and better client experiences, the company is expected to compete more successfully in the international aviation industry.

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