Air India To Suspend Delhi-Washington DC Flights From Sep 1 Due To Operational Factors

New Delhi: Air India will suspend its flights from Delhi to Washington from September 1 due to operational factors. The airline issued a statement in this regard. According to reports, the flight services to Washington have reportedly been halted primarily due to the unavailability of the airline fleet for the retrofit programme. Notably, Air India commenced retrofitting 26 of its Boeing 787-8 aircraft in July.

"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 airline said in a statement.

As per the airline, the retrofitting is aimed at enhancing customer experience. The airline will now offer alternative travel arrangements for passengers who booked tickets to and from Washington DC after September 1.

"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," the statement read.

As per the airline, due to the closure of airspace over Pakistan, its long route flights have been impacted.

"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," Air India said.

The airline also offered a full refund to passengers who do not want alternative flights.