Air India to suspend operations to Washington D.C. from September 1

Air India announced on Monday that it will halt its Delhi–Washington D.C. flights from September 1. The move follows the ongoing refurbishment of its Boeing aircraft fleet, which began recently and this is a long process and is not expected to finish before the end of 2026.

“The suspension is primarily driven by the planned shortfall in Air India’s fleet, as the airline commenced retrofitting 26 of its Boeing 787-8 aircraft last month,” Air India said.

Explaining the move, Air India said the suspension was “due to a combination of operational factors.” The airline added that pausing the Delhi–Washington D.C. service will help “ensure the reliability and integrity of Air India’s overall route network.”

READ: Air India, Lufthansa Group, Virgin Australia expand route-sharing deal on nearly 100 flights (February 20, 2025)

“This extensive retrofit program, aimed at significantly enhancing customer experience, necessitates a prolonged unavailability of multiple aircraft at any given time until at least end of 2026. That, coupled with the continued closure of airspace over Pakistan, impacts the airline’s long-haul operation,” Air India noted in a statement.

“That, coupled with the continued closure of airspace over Pakistan, impacts the airline’s long-haul operations, leading to longer flight routings and increased operational complexity.”

Air India said passengers booked to or from Washington D.C. after September 1 will be reached out to directly and given options such as rebooking on other flights or a full refund, depending on what they prefer.

Looking out for the passengers, Air India said passengers booked to or from Washington D.C. after September 1 will be reached out to directly and given options such as rebooking on other flights or a full refund, depending on what they prefer. “Air India customers will continue to have the options of one-stop flights to Washington, D.C., via four U.S. gateways – New York (JFK), Newark (EWR), Chicago, and San Francisco – with the airline’s interline partners, Alaska Airlines, United Airlines, and Delta Air Lines, allowing customers to travel on a single itinerary with their baggage checked through to the final destination,” Air India said.

READ: Air India faces mounting backlash over service failures on U.S. routes, fueling image crisis (July 19, 2025)

The airline added that it will keep running non-stop services between India and six North American cities, which include Toronto and Vancouver in Canada.

On June 12, tragedy struck when an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner bound for London went down in Ahmedabad shortly after take-off. The disaster sparked intense scrutiny of the airline’s safety measures and how its fleet is maintained. While Air India hasn’t given a date for when the Delhi–Washington D.C. flights will return, it has assured that the route will be reinstated once the upgraded Dreamliners are back in service.

_{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.}