Air India will be terminating its Delhi to Washington D.C. flight service effective September 1, 2025. This operational change is attributed to two main reasons. The first is the ongoing upgrade of Air India’s 26 Boeing 787-8 aircraft, a project that will limit the availability of several planes for an extended duration, with completion expected by the end of 2026.
The second factor contributing to this decision is the closed airspace of Pakistan, which presents challenges for long-haul flights. Passengers with bookings post-September 1, 2025, will be contacted and offered either rebooking options or full refunds. Despite the service suspension, passengers can still travel to Washington D.C. using Air India’s interline partnerships with airlines like Alaska Airlines, United Airlines, and Delta Air Lines, through connecting routes that include JFK (New York), Newark, Chicago, or San Francisco. Air India currently operates non-stop flights to six North American destinations, including Toronto and Vancouver.
The Ahmedabad plane crash has further complicated Air India’s situation. The crash has cast a shadow over both the Indian aviation framework and Air India’s safety measures. The flight, which was traveling from Ahmedabad to London, met with a tragic incident on June 12, 2025, resulting in the loss of 279 lives, encompassing 241 passengers and crew.
Following the incident, Air India temporarily halted its international services. An audit conducted by the DGCA unearthed 100 operational inconsistencies within Air India, of which seven were identified as critical safety concerns. Air India subsequently acknowledged these issues, committing to rectify them. The DGCA mandated comprehensive safety inspections for Air India’s Boeing 787 fleet, incorporating evaluations of GEnx engines and other essential systems. The accident severely damaged Air India’s public image, formerly a symbol of national esteem. N. Chandrasekaran, Chairman of the Tata Group, characterized the event as the most disheartening of his career.