Air India has restored non-stop flight operations on all four routes connecting Delhi and Mumbai with New York, reducing journey times by up to five hours following the easing of airspace restrictions that had forced the airline to introduce technical refuelling stops.
Journeys that had extended to around 22 hours due to enroute stops in Rome will now take approximately 17 hours, improving connectivity and convenience for passengers travelling between India and the United States, the airline said on Sunday.
Earlier this year, the closure of Pakistan’s airspace to Indian airlines, followed by restrictions across parts of the Middle East amid regional conflict, had significantly affected flight routes between India and North America.
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Consequently, Air India’s services from Delhi and Mumbai to New York’s John F Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) were operating with technical stops in Rome for refuelling.
With the reopening of previously restricted airspace, the airline has resumed non-stop operations across all four India-New York routes.
Air India currently operates one daily flight each from Delhi and Mumbai to JFK. It also operates four weekly flights between Delhi and Newark and three weekly flights between Mumbai and Newark.
The airline is deploying its flagship Airbus A350-900 aircraft on flights from Delhi to both JFK and Newark. The aircraft features 28 Business Class suites with full-flat beds, 24 Premium Economy seats and 264 Economy Class seats, along with next-generation in-flight entertainment systems.
Flights from Mumbai to JFK and Newark are operated using Boeing 777-300ER aircraft featuring eight First Class suites with privacy doors, 40 flat-bed Business Class seats and 280 Economy Class seats.
The restoration of non-stop services is expected to improve the airline’s offering on one of its key international markets by reducing travel time and eliminating the inconvenience of an intermediate technical stop.
Source: Khaleej Times