Air India to suspend direct Bengaluru and Mumbai flights to San Francisco from March 1

The airline cites network restructuring and rising operational costs as it shifts focus to Delhi, increasing San Francisco and Toronto services from the capital while reassuring passengers of refunds or rebooking options.

Air India has announced that it will halt all non-stop flights from Bengaluru and Mumbai to San Francisco starting March 1, a move that has caused widespread concern among passengers with existing bookings on the two international routes.

The airline described the decision as part of a restructuring of its North American network, aimed at optimising aircraft deployment and addressing higher operational costs linked to ongoing airspace restrictions that have forced longer and costlier flight paths. The sudden announcement has left several travellers scrambling to reassess travel plans, particularly those who had booked tickets months in advance.

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Under the revised network plan, Air India will strengthen long-haul operations from its Delhi hub. Flights from Delhi to San Francisco will increase from seven to ten services per week, while Delhi-Toronto flights will also be ramped up to ten weekly services. The airline indicated that the suspended non-stop services from Bengaluru and Mumbai could be restored in the future if airspace constraints ease.

Air India said passengers affected by the cancellations would be re-accommodated on alternative flights or offered full refunds. Officials added that the airline would proactively reach out to impacted customers. Despite this assurance, the announcement has already triggered anxiety among travellers, with several voicing concerns on social media platform X.

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The decision is expected to disproportionately impact technology professionals and business travellers, who form a significant share of passengers on these direct routes to the US West Coast. The Bengaluru–San Francisco service, operated using Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, has been particularly important for India’s tech capital, offering a vital non-stop link to Silicon Valley.