Fairdealfrank
Once again you and Skipness are taking the rather stereotypical "metropolitan" standpoint that there is no life outside the M25, and little or no business demand for direct air services.
Don't have a
"stereotypical metropolitan point of view" (not sure what that particular cliche is supposed to mean in this context). Have a completely independent point of view, as you know. Any danger of explaining exactly what you mean?
Granted London does suck up most of the business travel demand to the UK, but Indian businesses, and Chinese for that matter do invest (amazingly) elsewhere in UK, surprising though that may seem.
Have never suggested otherwise, but you need to look at the evidence.
I would absolutely agree that the chances of direct daily AI services from places like Bangalore and Mumbai (it hasn't been Bombay for years!) are tantamount to nil, 3 x weekly from Bangalore via Mumbai, or via Delhi couldn't be ruled out so easily. I have no evidence whatsoever that they are in the planning stage today though.
Indeed.
As for Bombay, it is Bombay in the English language, Mumbai is Bombay in Marathi (local language in Bombay). Similarly, although you declined to comment on that one, Bangalore is Bangalore in the English language, Bengaluru is Bangalore in Kannada (local language in Bangalore). These are translations, nothing more. Doubtless you wouldn't say Lisboa, Roma, Vien for Lisbon, Rome and Vienna, etc..
As for your comment "
3 x weekly from Bangalore via Mumbai, or via Delhi couldn't be ruled out so easily", yes it can be ruled out. Travellers between Bombay or Bangalore and Birmingham won't have that particular choice (and that is not a hat-eating issue).
It's either an Air India via Delhi or Emirates Airlines via Dubai.
I do recall you had to eat your last hat over the arrival of AI - hopefully you got a "2 for 1 offer" from your local milliner, as at some stage you may need to take a chunk out of the other one!!!
Trust me, direct flights between Bombay/Bangalore and Birmingham are not going to happen on Air-India.
As for eating hats, yes, you are right, it was a "BOGOF" offer.
That was about Air India not getting its act together, not about Birmingham airport managers not being able to attract longhaul routes, and that was made clear at the time.