Virgin stops flying to India next month >From Indo-Asian News Service
New Delhi, July 16 (IANS) British carrier Virgin Atlantic Airways will stop flying to India from next month. The airline will end is code-share agreement with India's international flag carrier Air-India. "Virgin had given us a termination notice two months ago," an A-I spokesperson told IANS. "After that there was no communication from them until we learnt they were pulling out." Virgin had sought permission to launch a third New Delhi-London service over a year ago, but the Indian government refused, setting the precondition that Indian planes be given additional landing slots in London's Heathrow airport. Virgin Atlantic launched its operation in July 2000 with great fanfare and operated two flights a week to London. The airline is 51-percent owned by British entrepreneur Richard Branson, with Singapore Airlines Ltd holding the rest. Its code-sharing agreement enables it to fly A-I's flight entitlements on the India-Britain route used by some 200,000 travellers annually. Since A-I does not have enough planes, most of its capacity remains unused. Branson had earlier said the airline's India operations were not commercially viable and the company was frustrated over the blocks that had been put on its plans to expand its operations. Virgin claimed to hold a 15 percent share of the non-stop New Delhi-London route. Industry representatives, however, said the impact of Virgin's pullout would be near negligible. Said K. Joshi, an executive of a noted online tourism portal: "Air-India is increasing the number of India-Britain flights. Besides there are enough flights to London. So if Virgin stops flying there will be very little difference." --Indo-Asian News Service =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-W-E-B---S-I-T-E-=-=-= To Subscribe/Unsubscribe from GoaNet | http://www.goacom.com/goanet =================================================================== For (un)subscribing or for help, Contact: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Dont want so many e=mails? Join GoaNet-Digest instead ! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Help support non-commercial projects in Goa by advertizing!! * * * * Your ad here !!
