Air India halts Delhi-Washington flights from Sept 1—Is Pakistan to be blamed? Here's what we know
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Air India halts Delhi-Washington flights from Sept 1—Is Pakistan to be blamed? Here's what we know")
Representative Image Photograph: (Reuters)
Air India stated on Monday that the decision is also linked to a planned shortage of aircraft as it retrofits 26 Boeing 787-8 planes.
Air India on Monday (August 11) announced the suspension of non-stop flights from Delhi to Washington from September 1, citing a combination of reasons. They further stressed that the decision has been taken to ensure the integrity of the airline.
Air India stated on Monday that the decision is also linked to a planned shortage of aircraft as it retrofits 26 Boeing 787-8 planes.
"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 airline said in a statement.
What are the reasons?
It further said that one of the key reasons is the shortage of aircraft.
“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,” Air India said.
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The retrofitting exercise is prolonged and will take at least till the end of 2026 to be completed.
Pakistan to be blamed?
It further cited the continued closure of airspace over Pakistan as another key reason, saying that it has impacted the airline's long-haul operation.
“This extensive retrofit programme, aimed at significantly enhancing customer experience, necessitates a prolonged unavailability of multiple aircraft at any given time until at least the end of 2026. That, coupled with the continued closure of airspace over Pakistan, impacts the airline’s long-haul operation,” it further stated.
“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.”
Notably, Pakistan closed its airspace for Indian airplanes after India suspended the Indus Water Treaty on April 23, following the Pahalgam terror attack.
Air India said that the customers with bookings to or from Washington beyond September 1 will be contacted and offered alternative travel arrangements, like rebooking or full refunds.
"Air India customers will continue to have the options of one-stop flights to Washington, DC via four US 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," it said.
