Air India has announced the addition of Kuala Lumpur to its network. The airline will launch Delhi-Kuala Lumpur flights this September. Let’s get into the details.
Air India to Kuala Lumpur
Starting 15th September 2024, Air India will operate a daily service between Delhi and Kuala Lumpur with the following schedule:
- Delhi-Kuala Lumpur
- Departure time: 13:00
- Arrival time: 21:00
- Flight time: 5 hours and 30 minutes
- Flight number: AI384
- Kuala Lumpur-Delhi
- Departure time: 08:30
- Arrival time: 11:25
- Flight time: 5 hours and 25 minutes
- Flight number: AI385
Flights will be operated using Airbus A320neo aircraft featuring Business Class and Economy Class seats. The airline has begun retrofitting its A320neo fleet with new seats in Business, Premium Economy and Economy Class seats.
We are happy to support the fast-growing tourism and trade corridor between India and Malaysia with this new daily service. Leveraging our robust global network, this route will not only serve travellers flying between the two nations, but also offer convenient one-stop connections for travellers from Europe and North America seeking to explore the wonders of Malaysia.
Nipun Aggarwal, Chief Commercial & Transformation Officer, Air India said.
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Targeting connecting passengers
This new route to Kuala Lumpur is targeted towards connecting passengers, it seems. The departure time of this Kuala Lumpur flight is after the international arrival bank for Air India in Delhi, enabling passengers from North America and Europe to connect onto this flight.
The aircraft stays on the ground in Kuala Lumpur overnight, again to have such a arrival time in Delhi that passengers can have enough connecting time to transfer onto Air India’s flights to Europe such as Amsterdam, Frankfurt etc.
Air India is in the process of trying to position itself in a hub-and-spoke model and leverage its international network to maximise revenues. However, stringent regulations related to international-to-international transfers of the Indian government in addition to Air India’s own not-so-great product might not just be the result Air India’s hoping for. It will certainly take a great amount of time and work to get passengers to switch from Middle Eastern carriers to Air India.
Featured image by Planespotters.net/Suparat Chairatprasert
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