New Delhi: Hit by the global economic downturn and its impact on the aviation sector, premier carrier Jet Airways today announced stoppage of its Mumbai- Shanghai-San Fransisco service from mid-January.

The service would be discontinued from January 13 next year and the passenger traffic between India and San Fransisco would be served through the airline s London gateway in cooperation with partner carrier, United Airlines of the US, an airline spokesperson said.

Jet s move came in the wake of similar steps being taken by almost all the major carriers worldwide including Air India. Its CEO Wolfgang Prock-Schauer had a few weeks ago said there has been some capacity reduction in sectors, which were not making money.

The economics of the Shanghai-San Fransisco service, which had already been curtailed during the past several weeks, was to have been reviewed and a decision taken.

The spokesperson said it would continue to provide convenient connections between Mumbai and several US destinations through London in both directions through its codeshare partnership with United Airlines.

Jet s San Fransisco customers would be served under a 9W (Jet s code) flight number.

The leading private airline plans to strengthen its Brussels hub by linking more cities in India like Bangalore, Ahmedabad and Hyderabad with Los Angeles, Chicago and Vancouver in North America. It has also significantly strengthened its operations in the Gulf.
Source : PTI