The IndiGo-Japan Airlines (JAL) codeshare partnership opens new opportunities for travelers from India, especially those flying to or from Amritsar (ATQ). However, its benefits come with certain limitations due to mismatched schedules, particularly on the return leg for Amritsar passengers. Based on onward departure / arrival connections from Japan as per schedules of the Haneda & Narita airports following could be the code-shared options:-
Delhi (DEL) to Tokyo (HND) Connectivity –
The JAL flight from Delhi (DEL) to Tokyo-Haneda (HND) departs at 1955 hrs, arriving in Tokyo at 0630 hrs the next day.
For Amritsar (ATQ) travelers:
• 6E2094 ATQ-DEL arrives in Delhi at 1503 hrs, providing a 4-hour 30-minute transit before boarding the DEL-HND flight.
• At Tokyo-Haneda, passengers can connect to the following North American destinations:
• HND-ORD (Chicago O’Hare): 1050 Hrs
• HND-DFW (Dallas-Fort Worth): 1055 Hrs
Challenges:
• There is no viable return connectivity from North America to Amritsar.
• HND-DEL departs at 1145 hrs, while inbound flights from Chicago and Dallas arrive later in the day (1455 hrs and 1525 hrs, respectively).
Bengaluru (BLR) to Tokyo (NRT) Connectivity –
The JAL flight from Bengaluru (BLR) to Tokyo-Narita (NRT) departs at 0255 hrs, arriving at 1400 hrs.
For Amritsar (ATQ) travelers:
• IndiGo’s new second direct flight from Amritsar to Bengaluru arrives in BLR at 0005 hrs, offering a convenient transit time of under 3 hours for the BLR-NRT flight.
• From Tokyo-Narita, travelers can connect to several global destinations, including:
• NRT-LAX (Los Angeles): 1710 Hrs
• NRT-SFO (San Francisco): 1740 Hrs
• NRT-MEL (Melbourne): 1740 Hrs
• NRT-MNL (Manila): 1800 Hrs
• NRT-SEA (Seattle): 1810 Hrs
• NRT-BOS (Boston): 1830 Hrs
• NRT-YVR (Vancouver): 1920 Hrs
Challenges:
• On the return leg, the NRT-BLR flight departs at 1825 hrs and arrives in Bengaluru at 0050 hrs.
• Connecting to Amritsar requires passengers to wait until 9 AM the next morning, making the journey inconvenient.
Conclusion:
While the IndiGo-JAL codeshare offers one-way connectivity from Amritsar to North America through Bengaluru or Delhi, its lack of inbound options limits its practicality for return journeys. Enhancing schedules to address these gaps would significantly improve the network’s utility for Amritsar travelers seeking global connectivity.
About the Author
Yogesh Kamra is Convener – Asia of the FlyAmritsar Initiative, a global advocacy group dedicated to promoting and enhancing connectivity at Amritsar Airport. The Initiative has been advocating for increased flight services to Amritsar, recognizing the city’s importance as a cultural and commercial hub.
© FlyAmritsar Initiative 2024