Air India Halts Delhi-Washington Route Amid Aircraft Shortages and Airspace Restrictions

Air India announced that it will suspend its service between New Delhi and Washington, D.C. starting September, citing aircraft shortages tied to ongoing upgrades of its Boeing planes. This decision also comes as a result of Pakistan's airspace ban, which is affecting Indian international flight routes.

This suspension means no Indian airline will provide direct flights between these two capitals. The airline, which was acquired by the Tata Group in 2022, is currently retrofitting 26 Boeing 787-8 aircraft to improve customer experience. The retrofit will temporarily limit aircraft availability until the end of 2026. Rising tensions, notably heightened by U.S. tariffs on Indian imports, further complicate matters.

A statement from Air India highlighted that the primary issue is the planned shortfall in its fleet. The ongoing airspace closure over Pakistan exacerbates challenges for long-haul operations. This situation roots back to 2019 when India and Pakistan closed airspace to each other after a violent attack in Indian Kashmir, for which India holds Pakistan responsible, a claim Pakistan denies. Additionally, Air India estimates the airspace ban costs about $600 million annually, intensifying the impacts on its operations.