Jet Airways has launched direct daily service from Mumbai to New York (Newark) via its new European hub in Brussels.
Westbound flight 9W228 departs Mumbai at 02:10 and arrives in New York at 11:55 the same day (all times local). In the other direction 9W227 leaves at 20:25 landing in Mumbai at 22:30 the next day.
Brussels is seen by Jet Airways as a gateway not just to India, but North America too, with Delhi - Brussels - Toronto to be introduced later this year. Further ahead the airline plans to operate ten daily services from Brussels between cities in India, the US and Canada. Subject to government approval, the airline will add flights from Bangalore, Ahmedabad and Chennai to Los Angeles, Chicago and New York JFK, all via Brussels.
Brussels Airlines will implement its codeshare on Jet Airways-operated services between Brussels and Mumbai, Delhi and Toronto, while the Indian airline will also codeshare on Brussels Airlines flights from the Belgian capital to Stockholm Oslo, Birmingham, Geneva and Madrid. All are subject to government approval.
”We were looking for an opportunity to combine our expansion plans to the US and Canada with an efficient hub in Europe and a strong national carrier ” we have found it all at Brussels,” said Jet Airways chairman, Naresh Goyal.
A brand new Boeing 777-300 ER aircraft is used for the route, carrying up to 312 passengers in a three-class layout. The first class suite provides over 26sq ft (8sq m) of usable space and features dual sliding doors that offer complete privacy. The first class cabins include 83” (211cm) flat beds (claimed to be the longest in the world) and 23 inch flat screen monitors.
CEO of Jet Airways, Wolfgang Prock-Schauer, said: ”To commence service on this important transatlantic sector connecting India with United States is a truly historic moment for us and allows us to take the spirit of new India into one of the world's most important sectors. On all flights this state-of-the-art Boeing 777-300ER enables our passengers to experience superior cabin comfort. It is equipped with the world's best flat beds and an in-flight entertainment system (IFE) which promises to offer unmatched passenger delight.”