New Delhi, Dec 15 (IANS): Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Thursday launched first-ever non-stop flight between Mumbai and San Francisco.
Air India will operate the flight three times a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays with the newly-inducted Boeing 777-200LR aircraft. This will take Air India's India-US frequency to 40 non-stop flights per week.
Presently, Air India operates non-stop flights from Mumbai to Newark, from Delhi to New York, Newark, Washington DC, San Francisco, and Chicago, and from Bengaluru to San Francisco. This will be the third Indian city after Delhi and Bengaluru to have a direct flight to San Francisco.
On the new flight launch, the Minister said: "Today is a historic day for Maharashtra, India, and Air India. The civil aviation sector in India is on the cusp of transformation, and India is the third largest civil aviation market in the world with a growth of 10.6 per cent CAGR in the last ten years. Air India has played a significant role in the sector's transformation in the past and will continue to contribute to the growth of the industry. With Air India's legacy, culture, and vision, the airline will take Indian civil aviation to newer heights."
The first flight AI 179 from Mumbai to San Francisco left Mumbai on time at 2.30 p.m. to arrive in San Francisco at a convenient 5 p.m. (local time) on the same day.
Air Indian CEO and MD Campbell Wilson said: "As part of our five-year transformation plan, Vihaan.AI, we plan to significantly enhance connectivity between India's major cities and prime global destinations. The non-stop flight between India's financial capital and Silicon Valley is a step towards achieving enhanced customer experience. With the launch of this route, we will have a weekly availability of 40 non-stop flights that will bolster India's connectivity with the US."
Air India continues to develop Mumbai as an important hub for international as well as domestic traffic. The launch of the Mumbai-San Francisco route will be followed by Mumbai-New York City (JFK), Mumbai-Frankfurt, and Mumbai-Paris. Additional domestic flights originating from Mumbai will also be added.