Air India will discontinue its non-stop services to San Francisco from Bengaluru and Mumbai starting March 1, citing aircraft deployment constraints and rising operational costs caused by ongoing airspace restrictions, reported TOI.
“The airline has made changes to its North America schedule to better deploy capacity and manage rising costs linked to ongoing airspace restrictions,” an AI spokesperson said as per the report.
The decision has led to confusion and concern among passengers, particularly those who have already booked tickets for travel beyond February 28.
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An Air India spokesperson told TOI that the suspension may not be permanent and indicated that it would seek to reinstate non-stop services from Bengaluru and Mumbai once airspace restrictions ease.
The passengers affected by the withdrawal of the Bengaluru–San Francisco and Mumbai–San Francisco routes will be re-accommodated on alternative services or offered full refunds.
While the airline is suspending direct connectivity from the two cities, Air India plans to ramp up its non-stop services between Delhi and San Francisco, as well as Delhi and Toronto, to a total of 10 flights per week. The airline expects the increased frequency from the national capital to absorb part of the displaced demand.
Nevertheless, the move is likely to inconvenience a significant segment of travellers, especially technology professionals and business passengers who rely on non-stop connections to the US West Coast. The Bengaluru–San Francisco route, operated using Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, has been a crucial link for India’s technology hub, catering to professionals commuting between Silicon Valley and the country’s IT capital.
Reacting to the development, a user on X wrote, “I have flights booked for my family on the Bengaluru–San Francisco route (with return) in May and on the Delhi–San Francisco route (with return) on March 26. What should I do now?”
(Edited by : Gareema Bangad)
