 "Why Air India will stop non-stop Bengaluru, Mumbai-San Francisco flights")
Air India has decided to discontinue its non-stop services to San Francisco from Bengaluru and Mumbai starting March 1, 2026, citing sustained operational and economic challenges linked to airspace restrictions.
In a media statement accessed by Business Standard, the airline said its Boeing 777 services on the Bengaluru–San Francisco and Mumbai–San Francisco routes, which currently require en-route refuelling stops, will be withdrawn from the start of the summer 2026 schedule.
“B777 services from Bengaluru and Mumbai to San Francisco which presently operate with en-route refuelling stops due to certain airspace restrictions, will be discontinued from 1 March 2026,” Air India said.
Why is Air India cutting these routes?
Air India said prolonged airspace curbs have removed the time and cost advantages of operating non-stop services, making the routes financially difficult to sustain. Aircraft are forced to take longer routings and make technical halts, increasing fuel burn, crew costs and schedule uncertainty.
Capacity shifted to Delhi routes
While suspending the two routes, Air India has increased capacity on other long-haul sectors.
The airline said that services between Delhi and San Francisco will rise to 10 flights a week from the current seven. Delhi–Toronto services will also be increased to 10 weekly flights.
According to the airline, these changes are aimed at reallocating aircraft to routes with stronger demand and more predictable operating costs.
What the airline said
Explaining the decision, Air India said the schedule changes are designed to manage the financial impact of ongoing airspace curbs.
“Air India has made certain changes to its North America schedule, effective 01 March 2026, that will help us better serve high-demand routes and manage the economic impact of current airspace restrictions,” the airline said.
For passengers with existing bookings, the carrier said alternative arrangements will be offered.
“Guests with affected bookings will be proactively re-accommodated on alternative routes or offered full refunds,” it added.
Air India also said it may reconsider the decision if conditions improve.
“The airline remains committed to expanding its global network and will seek to reinstate non-stop service from Bengaluru and Mumbai should airspace restrictions ease,” the statement said.
Why airspace restrictions matter
The decision follows months of strain on Air India’s long-haul operations. In November, Reuters reported that the airline had urged the Indian government to engage China diplomatically to allow use of sensitive airspace over Xinjiang, which could have shortened routes to North America and Europe.
According to the report, Air India argued that prolonged bans on overflying Pakistan had sharply increased costs and disrupted scheduling. China’s foreign ministry later said it was not aware of any such request and referred queries to other authorities.
The development came after India and China resumed direct flights following a five-year suspension after the Galwan clash.
What's the current operational reality?
According to Air India’s website, flights between Bengaluru and San Francisco, as well as Mumbai and San Francisco, are currently operating only as one-stop or two-stop services. None qualify as true non-stop flights due to the need for technical halts.
Pakistan first closed its airspace to Indian carriers in April after the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, which killed 26 people. Following the attack, Indian armed forces launched Operation Sindoor in May against terror camps and military installations in Pakistan.
The airspace ban, which remains in place until January 23 unless extended, has forced Indian airlines to take longer and costlier routes, often requiring refuelling stops in domestic or overseas hubs, eroding the viability of ultra-long-haul non-stop services.