NEW DELHI: The Indian globe trotter is being wooed like never before. The world's latest commercial aircraft are now being deployed here by foreign airlines. Japan Airlines (JAL) will use the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner on Delhi-Tokyo route from Tuesday. Lufthansa will fly the latest avatar of the jumbo jet Boeing 747-800 to Delhi and Bangalore this summer.
The deliveries of these two aircraft - that boast of features like large windows, ultra comfortable interiors and unmatched fuel efficiency - began to airlines around two months back. Request from many airlines, including Emirates, are pending with the government to fly the Airbus A-380 to Delhi for about two years.
For JAL, Delhi will be its Dreamliner's second destination. "India is a very important market for us. We have ordered 45 Dreamliners and three have joined our fleet. The first was used on Tokyo-Boston route that started on April 22. The second route will be Delhi." The airline finds the 186-seater Boeing 787 'perfect' for Delhi as it is closer to the actual demand and filling up the new fuel-efficient plane will be easier. AT present, it flies a 245-seater B-777 to Delhi five times a week.
The deliveries of these two aircraft - that boast of features like large windows, ultra comfortable interiors and unmatched fuel efficiency - began to airlines around two months back. Request from many airlines, including Emirates, are pending with the government to fly the Airbus A-380 to Delhi for about two years.
For JAL, Delhi will be its Dreamliner's second destination. "India is a very important market for us. We have ordered 45 Dreamliners and three have joined our fleet. The first was used on Tokyo-Boston route that started on April 22. The second route will be Delhi." The airline finds the 186-seater Boeing 787 'perfect' for Delhi as it is closer to the actual demand and filling up the new fuel-efficient plane will be easier. AT present, it flies a 245-seater B-777 to Delhi five times a week.
Lufthansa, whose request for flying the A-380 to Delhi has not been cleared, is going to fly the latest jumbo jet B-747-800 to Delhi and Bangalore from this summer. "India is the first Asian country where Lufthansa will deploy B747-800. Lufthansa is the launch customer for this aircraft, the first of which will connect Frankfurt and Washington from June 1... New Delhi, Bengaluru, Chicago and Los Angeles will be added successively," Lufthansa said.
Lufthansa (director, south Asia) Axel Hilgers said: "The fact that we introduce the best products currently available on board of our long-haul fleet to India first shows the importance of this market for Lufthansa."
Lufthansa (director, south Asia) Axel Hilgers said: "The fact that we introduce the best products currently available on board of our long-haul fleet to India first shows the importance of this market for Lufthansa."