Only one flight that presently connects Ahmedabad and Europe directly will commence its last journey on 2nd November this year.

Yes, we are talking about Ahmedabad-Frankfurt flight of Air India which will cease to exist in winter schedule starting from November this year.

Air India made Frankfurt its only hub outside India last year, and started Ahmedabad-Frankfurt daily flights. However eventually Air India experienced Frankfurt hub too costly. Thus the it was decided to drop Frankfurt as hub from 2010 winter schedule. This has resulted into cancellation of Ahmedabad-Frankfurt direct flight from 2 November this year.

Air India has taken a decision to make Delhi’s new T3 terminal, a new hub replacing Frankfurt.

All those who want to travel to Chicago from Ahmedabad will board Air India flight from Ahmedabad, and reach Delhi. From Delhi, they will get direct flight to Chicago. Ditto for those wanting to travel to JFK New York. This means, instead of Frankfurt, the passengers will change their flight and, halt for some time at Delhi airport.

For those wanting to travel to Newark airport will be taken to Mumbai in Air India flight, from where a direct flight will be operated to Newark.

Custom and immigration procedures will be carried out at Ahmedabad airport only for Chicago, Newark flights, the practice which is followed at present also.

The flights to the U.S. via Delhi airport will take less time than existing Frankfurt route.

Changes that would be effective from November 2010:

-Ahmedabad – Frankfurt flight will be canceled

-Ahmedabad – Chicago, Ahmedabad – New York passengers will be taken to Delhi, from where direct flight will take them to Chicago.

-Ahmedabad – Newark passengers will be taken to Mumbai, from where direct flight will take them to Newark.

-The journey will be shorter in duration. Customs/Immigration will be completed at Ahmedabad only.

-The halt at Delhi airport will be shorted than the halt at Frankfurt airport presently.

-Frankfurt airport check every Indian/Pakistani passenger twice, even though the fact that they are previously cleared at other airport. Such biased treatment will end, as Delhi hub is our own.

-Frankfurt falls just at the middle of the journey between Ahmedabad and America, however Delhi hub will come just at the starting of the journey from Ahmedabad and just before the end of the journey if you traveled from the U.S. This would be bit tedious.

-Ahmedabad Newark flight AI144 will leave Ahmedabad at 23.05 and reach Mumbai within an hour. The flight AI191 will leave Mumbai airport at 01.30 am. The plane will be B777. This means, there will be about one and half hour halt at Mumbai airport which is fair enough. From Mumbai, the flight will travel nonstop to Newark airport and reach there at 07.15 am local time. On return journey, the flight AI144 will leave Newark airport at 16.25 local time in Jet plane, and reach Mumbai at 17.40 local time, and Ahmedabad at 20.15 local time.

-Let’s talk about Chicago one: Air India flight AI633 will leave Ahmedabad at 21.00 to reach Delhi at 22.25. Air India flight AI127 will leave New Delhi at 0105 am local time and reach Chicago at 0600 hours local time. On return path Air India plane AI126 will leave Chicago airport at 14.45 local time and reach Delhi airport at 17.00 local time. The flight AI632 will leave New Delhi airport at 18.55 and reach Ahmedabad at 20.20.