After announcing Mumbai-San Francisco route, Air India has announced new flights from Mumbai to New York JFK, Frankfurt and Paris in addition to strengthening its European network from Delhi.
Mumbai-New York JFK
Starting 14th February 2023, Air India will operate a daily flight between Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport and New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport with the following schedule:
- Mumbai-New York JFK
- Departure time: 00:55
- Arrival time: 06:55
- Flight time: 16 hours and 30 minutes
- Flight number: AI119
- New York JFK-Mumbai
- Departure time: 10:55
- Arrival time: 11:35 (the next day)
- Flight time: 14 hours and 10 minutes
- Flight number: AI116
These flights will be operated by Boeing B777-200LR (Long Range) aircraft which Air India leased recently. The new service will complement Air India’s existing 3-weekly service between Mumbai and Newark Liberty.
The recently privatised carrier also operates a daily service from Delhi to New York JFK and a 4-weekly service from Delhi to Newark Liberty.
The addition of this route takes Air India’s India-US frequency to 47 non-stop flights-a-week.
Related: Air India expands its presence in San Francisco, London and Birmingham markets
Mumbai to Frankfurt and Paris
Starting “next quarter”, Air India will operate 3-weekly Boeing B787-8 flights between Mumbai and Paris & 4-weekly Boeing B787-8 flights between Mumbai and Frankfurt. The airline’s B787-8 feature 18 Business Class seats and 238 standard Economy Class seats.
The bookings for these flights are yet to begin.
Copenhagen, Milan and Vienna resumption
In the past, Air India – which was a government-run airline back then – used to operate flights from Delhi to Copenhagen, Madrid, Vienna, Milan and Stockholm. But due to shortage of aircraft and various other reasons, it suspended those routes. Three of these routes are now coming back on Air India’s map.
As of 1st February 2023, the airline will operate 4-flights-a-week between Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport and Milan Malpensa Airport with the following schedule:
- Delhi-Milan
- Departure time: 14:20
- Arrival time: 18:30
- Flight time: 8 hours and 40 minutes
- Flight number: AI137
- Frequency: Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays
- Milan-Delhi
- Departure time: 20:00
- Arrival time: 08:00 (the next day)
- Flight time: 7 hours and 30 minutes
- Flight number: AI138
- Frequency: Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays
As of 18th February 2023, Air India will offer 3-weekly flights between Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport and Vienna International Airport with the following schedule:
- Delhi-Vienna
- Departure time: 14:35
- Arrival time: 18:45
- Flight time: 8 hours and 40 minutes
- Flight number: AI153
- Frequency: Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays
- Vienna-Delhi
- Departure time: 20:15
- Arrival time: 08:05 (the next day)
- Flight time: 7 hours and 20 minutes
- Flight number: AI154
- Frequency: Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays
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And starting 1st March 2022, Air India will once again operate 3-weekly flights between Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport and Copenhagen Airport with the following schedule:
- Delhi-Copenhagen
- Departure time: 13:30
- Arrival time: 17:50
- Flight time: 8 hours and 50 minutes
- Flight number: AI157
- Frequency: Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays
- Copenhagen-Delhi
- Departure time: 19:50
- Arrival time: 07:40 (the next day)
- Flight time: 7 hours and 20 minutes
- Flight number: AI158
- Frequency: Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays
All of these flights will be operated by Air India’s Boeing B787-8 aircraft.
Continues to strengthen US network
As part of its transformation plan “Vihaan.AI”, Air India is continuing to strengthen its network in the United States.
Russian airspace is closed to most of the international airlines, but not to Air India. The airline is currently operating the shortest nonstop flights between India and the United States, as it has the permission to use the Russian airspace.
Air India is taking a full advantage of this situation by augmenting its U.S. network. The airline is looking beyond Delhi for its international long-haul network.
In May 2022, due to the closure of Russian airspace for most of the international airlines, United had to suspend its Newark-Mumbai and San Francisco-Delhi routes. This vacated the one of the biggest markets between India and the US. This just left Air India’s Mumbai-Newark nonstop.
With new Mumbai-New York JFK route, Air India is filling the gap left by United. But there’s a great catch here.
Mumbai-New York JFK flights will be operated by ex-Delta B777-200LRs! What’s great about this is that if Air India does not change the hard product on these aircraft and performs also cosmetic changes in line with the Air India brand, we might see of the best hard products onboard Air India in its history!
Breaking the monopoly on European routes out of Mumbai
Currently, Lufthansa is the only airline operating nonstop flights on Mumbai-Frankfurt route while the same is for Air France on Mumbai-Paris route. Air India is breaking the monopoly of these carriers on their respective routes, thus increasing competition and options for travellers.
These carriers have an early morning departure out of Mumbai for their respective hubs while Air India will “most likely” have a midday departure which will be good for travellers as they will have two time options to choose from.
Featured image by Wikimedia Commons
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