Air India has completed its first Airbus A350 transatlantic flight by successfully landing at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York.
The Air India Airbus A350-900 left Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) on November 1, 2024, at 02:49 local time, and landed in New York around 15 hours later at 07:47 local time.
The journey comes in the wake of Air India’s first ever A350-900 flight leaving Bengaluru Kempegowda Airport (BLR) for Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji Airport (BOM) on January 22, 2024.
Air India then launched its first international A350 flight on May 1, 2024, to Dubai, followed by its first long-haul A350 flight in September 2024, to London-Heathrow Airport (LHW).
We’re happy to announce that our A350 now connects Delhi and New York.
— Air India (@airindia) November 1, 2024
Fly daily non-stop to New York. Book now on https://t.co/Fnw0ywgAP1 or the Air India app.#FlyAI #AirIndia #Delhi #NewYork #A350 pic.twitter.com/KLK4uRm9Oh
From January 2, 2024, Air India will also add an A350 service between Delhi and Newark Liberty International Airport (EWK).
The A350 flights to JFW and EWK are also the first time that Air India has introduced its Premium Economy class experience, offering guests the choice of 24 wide seats in a dedicate cabin with extra legroom.
In a statement on November 1, 2024, a spokesperson for Air India said: “Our A350 is NYC-bound for the first time ever! Now enjoy the all-New Air India experience when you fly between Delhi and New York JFK.”
Air India also currently operates long-haul flights to Washington DC, Chicago, and San Francisco using its fleet of Boeing widebodies.
Commenting on the new A350 New York route in July 2024, Campbell Wilson, CEO and Managing Director of Air India, said: “We are encouraged by the positive guest feedback we have received from the domestic deployment of our A350s to offer our hero product on the Delhi-New York JFK and Delhi-Newark routes. This is a significant leap forward for our U.S. operations that also underscores our commitment to continuous improvement.”