- 16 Aug, 2025
Air India has announced that it will suspend its Delhi to Washington, DC flight from 1 September 2025 onwards. The announcement came two months after an Air India flight crashed in Ahmedabad seconds after its departure. A month after the incident, the airline started inspecting its aircraft.
According to the statement provided by the Tata group, the airline's flight is suspended "to ensure the reliability and integrity of Air India's overall route network."
Air India uses its legacy from its government ownership days, Boeing 787-8 aircraft, to operate the flight between Delhi and Washington, D.C., which has been suspended by the airline.
Reason For Air India's Drastic Step
The Reason for suspending the route is a combination of factors, including ensuring the reliability and integrity of Air India's overall network.
The first and main reason for the suspension of the flight is the planned shortfall in the fleet size of Air India, as the airline is conducting retrofitting of 26 of its Boeing 787-8 aircraft last month. With the help of this mass retrofitting program, Air India is planning to enhance the customer experience significantly, but a lengthy period of multiple aircraft being unavailable at the same time will persist until the conclusion of 2026.
The planned prolonged shortage of Air India's aircraft, combined with the ongoing closure of Pakistan's airspace to Indian airlines, affects the length of Air India's long-haul flights, as it has made operating its longer routes more complex by extending the flight hours.
Information for Passengers Who Have Made Early Reservations on the Delhi and Washington, D.C flight
Passengers who have already made their reservation with Air India for the Delhi and Washington, DC route, where the flight operates from 1 September 2025 onwards, will be contacted by the airline. Air India will offer them some alternative travel arrangements, where the airline will rebook their flight with an alternative airline based on their itinerary or provide them with a full refund based on the preferred choice of the individual.
Moreover, those passengers also have the option to opt for one of the one-stop flights to Washington, D.C., where the stopages are the four US gateways, including San Francisco (SFO), Chicago (ORD), Newark (EWR), and New York (JFK), with the help of Air India's interline partners, such as Delta Air Lines, Alaska Airlines, and United Airlines. It will help passengers reach Washington, D.C., on a single itinerary with their checked baggage to the final destination.
Scope of Air India's Delhi and Washington, D.C. Flights
Air India has not mentioned specific Dates on which its Delhi and Washington, D.C. flights will be suspended. However, according to some flight schedule data, it has been suggested that the route could remain suspended till next year.
Additionally, the primary route impacted by the changes discussed is from Delhi to Washington, D.C. However, the airline will continue to operate its other non-stop flights, where the flight route is between India and North America's six destinations, including Vancouver and Toronto in Canada.
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