Within a year United Airlines plans to start direct flights from Delhi to San Francisco. With strong local contenders in the Indian commercial airspace, how does US-based United Airlines look at strengthening its hold over the market?

In October, United launched the new Polaris business class, after 12,000 hours of research identifying sleep as a priority for passengers. Globally, United has invested $400 million over the past two years to ramp up its services. In the backdrop of this, BusinessLine caught up with the Country Manager of United Airlines India, Harvinder Singh. Excerpts:

United Airlines has ordered Boeing 787-9 and Boeing 787-10, but not meant for India route? Given that Boeing 787-9 and 787-10 have range and more fuel efficient, is the fact that the Boeing 777 offers more seats driving the decision?

The Boeing 777-300ER is one of the newest aircraft in our fleet featuring the new United Polaris business class seat and we believe it is the right aircraft type for this route at this time.

Designed for efficiency, the environmentally progressive Boeing 777-300ER aircraft creates less noise leading to a cleaner eco-footprint.

India and the US have an Open Sky agreement yet you fly only in two Indian cities? Why is this? Is it lack of aircraft which have capacity to fly non-stop or you feel it is not a big enough market?

We are proud to have served the India market for over a decade and during that time have carried over three million customers on more than 14,000 flights between India and the US.

Our commitment to this important market is further underpinned by both the introduction of the Boeing 777-300ER on our Mumbai–New York/Newark route in October this year and the launch in December 2019 of a new non-stop seasonal service from New Delhi to San Francisco.

Jet Airways has tied up with KLM-Air France, Delta, Virgin Atlantic for covering the US and Canada market to and from India. They control about 25 per cent of the transatlantic market. How do you intend to compete with them?

We believe we have great products, services and an unrivalled network to the US. Through our hub at New York/Newark, we are able to connect customers from India to all points across the Americas. The airline operates approximately 400 daily flights out of its Newark hub to over 160 destinations across the US and internationally. United’s Terminal C at EWR continues its $120 million upgrade with a range of new dining creations and a new United Polaris lounge.

Earlier American Airlines used to operate between Chicago and Delhi. They claimed that the opening of air space over Russia that cut down the flying time and putting one layer of paint on the American Airlines aircraft which lowered the weight of aircraft helped make that flight possible. Does United Airlines see any such development that can help them operate more flights to destinations in India?

We recently announced the introduction of a new, non-stop seasonal service from New Delhi to San Francisco, starting in December 2019. We continue to monitor all the markets we serve and have no further announcements at this time.

You are a member of the Star Alliance in which Air India is also a member. How has this helped you leverage the large Indian market?

We are proud to be a founding member of Star Alliance, the world’s first truly global alliance and the most mature airline, first established over 20 years ago. Today, Star Alliance has 28 member airlines offering smooth connections across a vast global network covering 193 countries. We are pleased to work alongside our Star Alliance partner Air India in serving the India market.

For the Indian market will the policy be to operate more flights to more Indian cities yourself or look at tie-up with Star Alliance partners like Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines, to transfer people on to the Indian route?

We will continue to work closely with our Star Alliance partners. By providing convenient arrival and departure times, Star Alliance member airlines have optimised connecting times for passengers within a network that spans 1,317 airports across 193 countries.

Air India is the only carrier from India and US to offer nine times a week non-stop flights connecting Delhi to San Francisco and between Delhi and Washington. What impact do these flights have on your business model. Is this a market that you will look to tap, like AI offers daily flights to New York, Newark, Chicago?

Air India is a Star Alliance partner and together through the Star Alliance global network we offer greater choice to our customers.

The writer was in New York on invitation from United Airlines and NYC & Company

Related Topics
comment COMMENT NOW