GURUGRAM, 11 August : Air India today announced the suspension of its services between Delhi and Washington, D.C., effective September 1, 2025, 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. This extensive retrofit programme, 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 operations, leading to longer flight routings and increased operational complexity.
Customers with Air India bookings to or from Washington, D.C. beyond September 1, 2025 will be contacted and offered alternative travel arrangements, including rebooking on other flights or full refunds, as per their individual preferences.
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 will continue to operate non-stop flights between India and six destinations in North America, including Toronto and Vancouver in Canada.
The Air India group-comprising of full-service global airline Air India and low-cost regional carrier Air India Express -is spearheading a new era of Indian aviation. The Air India story began in 1932 when JRD Tata piloted the airline’s inaugural flight and opened the skies for aviation in India. Today, Air India group employs more than 30,000 people, operates over 300 aircraft and carries customers to 55 domestic and 48 international destinations across five continents.
Returning to the Tata Sons in 2022 following 70 years under Government ownership, Air India group is in the midst of a five-year transformation program, Vihaan.Al. As part of the transformation, Air India has placed an order for 570 new aircraft. In 2024, sister airlines Air Asia India and Vistara were successfully merged into Air India Express and Air India, respectively, and the Airline opened South Asia’s largest aviation training academy. A new flying school is scheduled to open in 2025, and construction of a greenfield maintenance base, to be operational in 2026, is underway. In addition to receiving new aircraft, all existing aircraft are progressively undergoing a full interior refit.
With transformation underway across all facets of the business and India’s rich legacy of hospitality, Air India is committed to being a world class global airline with an Indian heart.
