Air India To Halt Direct Flights From Delhi To Washington, DC

India-West News Desk

NEW DELHI- Air India has announced it will suspend its non-stop service to Washington, D.C., from Delhi, effective September 1. The decision means travelers from the U.S. capital will no longer have a direct flight option to India via Air India, which cited operational factors for the change.

Customers in the Washington, D.C. area with existing bookings after September 1 will be contacted directly by the airline. They will be offered alternative travel arrangements, including the choice of a full refund or rebooking on another flight, according to their preference.

For those still wishing to travel with Air India, one-stop flights to Washington will be available from four other U.S. gateways—New York (JFK), Newark (EWR), Chicago, and San Francisco—via interline partners Alaska Airlines, United Airlines, and Delta Air Lines, the carrier said in a statement.

The suspension is primarily a result of a planned shortfall in Air India’s fleet, as the airline has begun an extensive retrofit program for 26 of its Boeing 787-8 aircraft which will leave multiple planes unavailable until at least the end of 2026.

This operational strain is further compounded by the ongoing closure of Pakistani airspace since 2019, which forces longer, more fuel-intensive routes for long-haul flights from India.

Air India confirmed that it will continue to operate non-stop flights between India and six other destinations in North America, including Toronto and Vancouver in Canada.

The airline stated that the suspension of the Washington, D.C. service is a temporary measure.

_{Images are for reference only.Images and contents gathered automatic from google or 3rd party sources.All rights on the images and contents are with their legal original owners.}