Air India restored non-stop flights on all four routes connecting Delhi and Mumbai with New York. The easing of airspace restrictions cut travel time by up to five hours, as flights no longer need refuelling stops in Rome. Passengers now save time on these long journeys to the United States.
Easing of airspace restrictions cuts travel time by up to five hours on services that required refuelling stops in Rome
Tata Group-promoted Air India has restored non-stop operations on all four routes connecting Delhi and Mumbai with New York, following the easing of airspace restrictions that had necessitated refuelling stops on select services.
According to the airline, the restoration reduces total travel time by up to five hours on affected routes, with journeys that had extended to around 22 hours now taking about 17 hours.
Notably, the closure of Pakistan's airspace to Indian airlines, followed by restrictions across parts of West Asia amid regional conflict, had affected flight routings between India and North America.
Consequently, Air India had introduced technical stops in Rome for refuelling on select services connecting Delhi and Mumbai with John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR).
With the easing of airspace restrictions, the airline has resumed non-stop operations on all four routes serving the New York area.
At present, Air India operates one daily flight each from Delhi and Mumbai to JFK, besides four weekly flights between Delhi and Newark and three weekly flights between Mumbai and Newark.
Furthermore, the airline said its services from Delhi to both JFK and Newark are operated with Airbus A350-900 aircraft, while flights from Mumbai to the two airports use Boeing 777-300ER aircraft with upgraded cabin interiors.
The A350-900 aircraft feature a three-class configuration comprising 28 Business Class suites with fully flat beds, 24 Premium Economy seats in a dedicated cabin and 264 Economy Class seats.
Besides, all cabins on these aircraft feature upgraded inflight entertainment systems and refreshed onboard amenities.
The Boeing 777-300ER aircraft deployed on the Mumbai routes feature eight First Class suites with sliding privacy doors, 40 fully flat beds in Business Class and 280 Economy Class seats.