Air India Cancels Mumbai to San Francisco Flights, Passengers Miss Connections

MUMBAI- Air India (AI) flight AI179 from Mumbai (BOM) to San Francisco (SFO), scheduled for August 26, 2024, has been delayed by nearly a day.

The flight, originally set to depart at 1:25 PM on Monday, took off at 11:30 AM IST on Tuesday, August 27. While today’s (August 27) flight earlier scheduled to operate with 777-200LR, registered as VT-AEE is now canceled.

Photo: Ian Abbott | Flickr

Air India San Francisco Flights

Indian FSC operates 4x weekly flights between Mumbai and San Francisco using Boeing 777-200LR.

An Air India spokesperson attributed the delay to unspecified “operational reasons,” apologizing for the inconvenience caused to passengers. The airline initially provided vague responses to passenger inquiries before agreeing to arrange hotel accommodations for those affected.

Passengers expressed frustration over the lack of clear communication and the significant disruption to their travel plans, HT reported.

Dr. Subhash Wadotkar, a Jalgaon resident traveling to visit family in the US, criticized the ground staff’s lack of information and highlighted the impact on passengers with connecting flights.

The delay has forced some travelers to make alternative arrangements. A group of multinational corporation employees opted to cancel their Air India tickets and book seats on a KLM flight departing at 2:00 AM on Tuesday. This last-minute change resulted in additional costs, with each passenger paying approximately $400 more per ticket.

Passengers experienced a series of rescheduled departure times, with the airline first pushing the flight to 3:45 PM, then to 7 PM, before announcing its cancellation at 5 PM.

Travelers reported confusion and frustration due to the lack of clear communication from ground staff. One passenger stated, “The ground staff had no clue about what was going on,” highlighting the breakdown in information dissemination during the incident.

Photo: Air India

Spokeperson Remarks

Air India’s spokesperson countered these claims, asserting that ground personnel at Mumbai airport were providing full support to affected passengers. The airline offered hotel accommodations, full refunds for cancellations, and complimentary rescheduling options to mitigate the inconvenience caused.

The spokesperson emphasized Air India’s commitment to passenger safety and well-being, stating these remain the airline’s top priorities. However, the series of delays and eventual cancellations raise questions about the airline’s operational management and communication protocols during disruptions.

This incident bears similarities to a previous Air India flight delay on May 24, 2024, when another Mumbai-San Francisco flight departed 36 hours behind schedule.

Read Also, Air India Schedules Double Daily Flights to Toronto, Canada | Exclusive – Aviation A2Z

Photo: Eurospot

Bottom Line

If we look at Air India’s 777 average fleet age it is around 14 years. The airline has leased 777-200LR which are around 15-16 years old.

Following this, many passengers complain about the poor experience as these seats often lack the comfort required for long-haul flights. Old seats, broken IFE, and other issues make their journey uncomfortable.

Recently, Air India has scheduled its flagship Airbus A350-900 on US routes and will likely replace old 777s once it takes delivery of more A350s.

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