Air India is ending some non-stop San Francisco flights
What's the story
Air India has announced the end of its non-stop flights to San Francisco from Bengaluru and Mumbai, starting March 1. The decision comes as a result of rising operational costs and airspace restrictions. An airline spokesperson said that the changes were made to better deploy capacity and manage costs associated with ongoing airspace restrictions.
Passenger reactions
Passengers express concern over flight cancellations
The cancellation of the Bengaluru-San Francisco and Mumbai-San Francisco routes has left many passengers confused and worried. This is especially true for those who had booked their tickets for travel after February 28. An Air India spokesperson told The Times of India that the suspension might not be permanent and hinted at plans to reinstate these services once airspace restrictions are lifted.
Route expansion
Air India to increase Delhi-San Francisco flights
Despite discontinuing direct services from Bengaluru and Mumbai, Air India plans to expand its non-stop flights between Delhi and San Francisco as well as Delhi and Toronto. The airline will increase the frequency of these routes to a total of 10 flights per week. This move is expected to absorb some of the displaced demand from the suspended routes.
Business impact
Impact of route termination on IT travelers
The ending of direct flights from Bengaluru and Mumbai to San Francisco is likely to affect a large number of passengers, especially techies and business travelers who depend on non-stop services to the US West Coast. The Bengaluru-San Francisco route, which was operated by Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, was an important connection for India's IT hub.