Summary:
- Air India to cancel direct Bengaluru and Mumbai–San Francisco flights from March 1.
- Affected passengers will be reaccommodated or offered refunds.
- Delhi–North America operations will be expanded as part of the schedule change.
AIR INDIA IS cancelling direct San Francisco flights from Bengaluru and Mumbai starting March 1. The airline cited rising costs and airspace restrictions and will expand Delhi–North America services instead.
Air India’s decision has affected passengers with bookings after Feb. 28, who will be reaccommodated or offered refunds, with routes possibly reinstated if conditions change, according to The Times of India.
“The airline has made changes to its North America schedule to better deploy capacity and manage rising costs linked to ongoing airspace restrictions,” an Air India spokesperson told the Times.
As part of the schedule change, Air India will expand Delhi–North America operations. Delhi–San Francisco flights will rise from seven to 10 per week and Delhi–Toronto flights will also increase to 10 per week.
Passengers affected by the Bengaluru–San Francisco and Mumbai–San Francisco routes will be reaccommodated on alternative flights or offered a full refund.
“Air India will seek to reinstate non-stop service from Bengaluru and Mumbai, should airspace restrictions ease,” the spokesperson said.
Responding on social media, a passenger wrote on X, “I have flights booked on BLR–SFO (with return) in May and DEL–SFO (with return) on May 26. What do I do?”
Others questioned the move, noting the Bengaluru–San Francisco route is operated using Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.
“We booked months ago to avoid last-minute hassles — now, everything is uncertain,” said Nakul Tirtha, a Bengaluru-based tech professional.
An Air India official said the airline would contact affected passengers, the Times reported. While expanded Delhi services may absorb some demand, the cancellation of direct flights from Bengaluru and Mumbai to San Francisco will affect tech professionals and business travelers who rely on non-stop connections to the U.S. West Coast.
Indigo recently restored its network to near-normal levels and is reviewing measures to prevent recurrence, while India’s competition regulator is reportedly reviewing antitrust allegations following the disruptions.
