Jet Airways, India's largest private airlines, on Wednesday announced its daily transatlantic service between Mumbai and New York, beginning August 5.
Jet Airways officials, including chairman Naresh Goel, said flights will operate between New York's Liberty International Airport, which is actually located in New Jersey, and Mumbai International Airport on new Boeing 777-300ER wide-bodied jets.
Flights depart New York at 8:25 pm and arrive in Mumbai at 11:30 pm the following day. Return flights will leave Mumbai at 2:10 am and arrive in New York at 11:55 am the same day.
"Just as Jet Airways created unprecedented standards of efficiency and service on flights in India, we are proud to be launching transatlantic service, and bringing the spirit of the New India, into one of the world's most important cities," Goel said in a brief speech at the gala announcement luncheon at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel.
"The burgeoning economy of 'New India' offers American business leaders myriad opportunities, which is why the time is right for us to start flying from new York," he said.
The announcement came a day after Air India, India's national carrier, announced non-stop daily flights between Mumbai and JFK airport in New York beginning August 1.
"Our goals is to be recognised as one of the world's top five airlines by 2010 and having built our reputation in India and six other international destinations, we are confident that the US market is ready to recognise Jet Airways as one of the most exciting and outstanding pioneers of aviation in the world today," he said.
Goel said that with the forging of closer relations between the US and India, two of the world's largest democracies, airline passenger traffic is increasing to and fro almost regularly. "We see that the US is going to be our biggest market," Goel said.
Jet, which is building a major hub in Brussels for all its flights connecting India and the US, will also commence service between Delhi and Toronto beginning September 5. In addition to flights to Brussels from Mumbai and Delhi, direct flights between Brussels and Chennai, Bangalore and Ahmedabad will eventually enable travelers to connect seamlessly from five Indian gateways to six North American airports, including Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Jet did not say how early the flights will take off.
Asked as to how he would compete with Air India which claims to have the emotional loyalty of a large number of members of Indian corporate world, Goel parried a direct reply.
"It is a huge market and as far as Air India is concerned its market share is about 14 or 15 percent. Naturally, the rest of the market is for other carriers. So, it is only fair that customers get a better service on this route," Goel told rediff.com. "We are striving not to be inferior to Singapore Airlines or Cathay for that matter," he said.
Jet Airways chairman Naresh Goyal at The Waldorf Astoria Grand Ballroom, New York, announcing the launch of the airline's daily service from the United States to Mumbai.
Photo: Paresh Gandhi
