Air India has prepared to restart nonstop flights from the USA to India between Bengaluru and San Francisco (SFO) on December 2, almost eight months after suspending the flights due to COVID-19 limitations and low demand from passengers during the pandemic.
The new non-stop route is anticipated to satisfy corporate customers’ need for travel on cheap flights from San Francisco to India and from BLR to SFO and surrounding US regions.
Headline Highlights
Due to the Russia-Ukraine War, Air India temporarily suspended its most popular nonstop flights from SFO to Bangalore. Here’s the full updated list of nonstop flights, including some currently suspended but set to resume shortly, from the United States to India and back.
The flights to Bangalore from USA , specifically SFO, will be the longest trip to and from India, covering a distance of 14,000 kilometers, making it the longest route for Air India. The carriers will operate a 238-seater Boeing 777-200 LR.
Air India anticipates operating three non-stop flights per week between Bengaluru and San Francisco from the USA to India. On December 2, at 2:20 p.m., Bengaluru-bound flight AI175 will take off. It will travel 14,000 kilometers in 16 hours and 10 minutes. On the same day, AI176 will depart San Francisco at 9 p.m. and is expected to arrive in Bengaluru approximately 17 hours and 55 minutes later.
On January 10, 2021, the service was launched amid the Covid-19 epidemic. 12 cabin staff members, 238 passengers, and four female pilots were on board the airplane as it took off from San Francisco. It traveled about 14,000 kilometers over the Atlantic route, flying over the North Pole.
Key Features of Air India’s B777-200LR
Among its many distinctive characteristics, Air India’s B777-200LR has a higher maximum take-off weight of 347.5 tons. The takeoff weight improves the payload (carrying) capacity. The B777-200LR’s maximum take-off weight is almost twice as much as the aircraft itself (148.7 tons) with a payload (passengers, luggage, and cargo). Since it can store extra fuel tanks in the rear cargo hold, the aircraft can carry more fuel for longer flights (should the airline need to change its route due to restrictions on foreign airspace) without compromising a whole load of passengers’ checked-in baggage.
Air India’s Aircraft Fleet Enlargement Plan
The biggest operator of nonstop flights from the United States to India is Air India. Thus, Air India just declared that it will lease five long-range (LR) Boeing 777 aircraft. Air India will add these former Delta aircraft to its fleet between December 2022 and March 2023 to increase the number of USA-India nonstop flights, including those from SFO to Bangalore, SFO to Mumbai, and New York to Mumbai. The AI fleet now includes three classes of B777s: first, business, and economy. They will soon deliver the five B777 LRs, which will also feature a premium economy cabin.
San Francisco to India: Nonstop flights vs. Connecting flights
The best alternatives to Air India’s nonstop service on the same itineraries are the Middle Eastern carriers’ one-stop flights that connect San Francisco with India. According to Tripbeam, Air India’s direct flights from San Francisco to Mumbai take 17 hours and 10 minutes. Travelers on Emirates, Turkish Airlines, and Qatar Airways need to allow 21–22 hours (including layover time) to complete a one-way journey via their respective hubs. When checking in, they accept the same amount of luggage in the economy as Air India. On Air India flights and one-stop flights operated by Middle Eastern carriers, customers can check in two 23-kg bags for free.
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Also Read: What Makes Bangalore A US-Favorite When It Comes To Travel?