Why is Air India suspending flights between New Delhi and Washington DC?
The company announced on Aug. 11 that the suspension is "due to a combination of operational factors, to ensure the reliability and integrity of Air India's overall route network."
"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," the company said in a news release, adding this "extensive retrofit program, aimed at significantly enhancing customer experience," will result in unavailability of multiple aircrafts until at least end of 2026.
Ban on Indian carriers in Pakistan's airspace
In addition to its fleet upgrade, the closure of airspace over Pakistan "impacts the airline's long-haul operations, leading to longer flight routings and increased operational complexity," the news release said. The airspace ban is estimated to cost Air India about $600 million over 12 months, Reuters reported.India and Pakistan closed their airspaces to each other days after relations nosedived following a fatal attack on civilians in Indian Kashmir in April. New Delhi has blamed Islamabad for the attack, which Islamabad denies.
Options for Air India customers
While there will no direct flights between the two capitals, Air India customers will have the option to choose flights to Washington, D.C., with layovers in New York, Newark, Chicago and San Francisco with the airline's 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," the news release said.
The airline will also continue to "operate non-stop flights between India and six destinations in North America, including Toronto and Vancouver in Canada."
Customers booked on flights to or from Washington, D.C. beyond September 1 will be contacted by the airline and offered alternative travel arrangements, including rebooking on other flights or full refunds, as per their individual preferences, the airline said.
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Air India woes
The suspension also comes as Air India faces heightened regulatory scrutiny after a June crash of one of its Boeing planes in Ahmedabad killed 260 people.
Meanwhile, passengers on a recent Air India flight from San Francisco to Mumbai via Kolkata encountered some unwelcome visitors early this month.
"On flight AI180 from San Francisco to Mumbai via Kolkata, two passengers were unfortunately bothered by the presence of a few small cockroaches on board," a spokesperson for the airline previously told USA TODAY in a statement Aug. 5. They notified a crew member who relocated them to different seats, where they were "comfortable thereafter," the airline continued.
During the scheduled fuel stop at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata, the aircraft was deep cleaned by the ground crew to address the issue, and continued its journey to Mumbai as scheduled.
"Despite our regular fumigation efforts, insects can sometimes enter an aircraft during ground operations," the airline added. "Air India will be undertaking a comprehensive investigation to determine the source and the cause of this incident and implement measures to prevent recurrence. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused to the passengers."
Contributing: Reuters / Joey Garrison, Kathleen Wong, USA TODAY
Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.
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