Air India Delhi Washington Flight Suspended Due to Aircraft Retrofits, Airspace Closure

Air India has announced the suspension of its flights between Delhi and Washington, D.C., starting September 1, 2025. The decision is attributed to a combination of operational challenges, primarily the unavailability of Boeing 787-8 aircraft due to an extensive retrofit program, and the ongoing closure of Pakistani airspace to Indian carriers.

The retrofit initiative began last month and involves upgrading 26 Boeing 787 Dreamliners with enhanced customer features. This undertaking means several aircraft will be out of service simultaneously until the end of 2026, as Air India aims to modernize its fleet and improve reliability.

Furthermore, the closure of Pakistani airspace, resulting from regional tensions, has complicated Air India’s long-haul operations to the U.S. Previously, the Delhi-Washington route was a direct flight, which now requires a technical stop in Vienna, increasing flight time from approximately 15 to 19 hours.

Air India has confirmed that passengers booked on the affected route from September 1 onwards will be contacted for rebooking options or offered full refunds. Despite this suspension, the airline will maintain its presence in the U.S. via flights to New York (JFK), Newark (EWR), Chicago, and San Francisco. Interline agreements with Alaska Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines will still enable passengers to reach Washington, D.C., with their luggage checked through to the final destination on a single itinerary.

While Air India has not specified the duration of this service suspension, the disruptions are expected to continue well into next year due to ongoing flight schedule adjustments. The airline’s broader strategy to upgrade its fleet as part of a $400-million retrofit program is in line with its transformation efforts under the Tata Group ownership, announced in December 2022.

Additionally, a tragic crash earlier this year involving an Air India Boeing 787-8 in Ahmedabad has prompted increased scrutiny and voluntary pre-departure checks of all such aircraft within its fleet, adding to operational constraints. This scrutiny follows Air India’s commitment to enhancing safety measures and reducing potential disruptions.

Air India is also progressing with the second phase of its retrofit program, focusing on its wide-body jets after the completion of updates on its narrow-body fleet by September. The comprehensive updates are anticipated to conclude by mid-2027 for the Dreamliners and by late 2028 for the Boeing 777s. This approach underscores Air India’s dedication to aligning its legacy fleet with its updated brand identity and operational standards.