Air India to halt Delhi-Washington flights from September

Air India will suspend its non-stop flights between New Delhi and Washington, D.C., from September 1, citing a shortage of aircraft and the continued closure of Pakistan’s airspace.

The airline said on Monday that the decision is linked to planned upgrades to its ageing Boeing fleet and operational challenges caused by longer flight routings.

The closure of Pakistani airspace has forced Air India to take extended routes for its long-haul services, increasing costs and complexity.

The carrier has launched a $400 million retrofit programme to modernise its aircraft, but Reuters earlier reported that the airspace ban alone could cost Air India $600 million over a 12-month period.

India and Pakistan shut their respective airspaces to each other after a deadly attack in Indian-held Kashmir heightened tensions between the two countries. New Delhi accused Islamabad of backing the attack, which Pakistan has denied.

The suspension adds to the airline’s challenges, coming amid heightened regulatory scrutiny following a June crash in Ahmedabad that killed 260 people.

Air India said affected passengers would be offered alternative travel options to Washington via layovers in New York, Newark, Chicago and San Francisco, using its interline partnerships with Alaska Airlines, United Airlines and Delta Air Lines.