Air India launches direct flights between Mumbai and San Francisco

Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Eknath Shinde virtually inaugurated the launch along with Rajiv Bansal, Secretary, Civil Aviation, and Vinod Hejmadi, Chief of Finance, Air India.

The launch of the Mumbai-San Francisco route will be followed by MumbaiNew York City (JFK), Mumbai-Frankfurt, and Mumbai-Paris. Additional domestic flights originating from Mumbai will also be added.

Commenting on the flight launch, Scindia, 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.”

Talking about the democratisation of the Civil Aviation in the country, Scindia added, “From a very low base of close to 63 million travellers in 2013- 14, we have reached 144 million travellers in the year 2019- 20. Similar growth has been experienced from the international side as well.”

Sharing his views at the launch, Shinde said, “Today is a great moment for the people of Maharashtra, as Air India bridges the distance between Maharashtra and San Francisco. The government is focused to boost the civil aviation sector, and build many more airports, and helipads in other parts of
Maharashtra. I appreciate Air India launching its service from Mumbai and eagerly await the launch of their other locations from the city.”

Speaking about the bolstering of connectivity between India and the USA, Wilson stated, “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 USA.”

Scheduled to operate three times a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays with the newly-inducted Boeing 777-200LR aircraft, this launch will take Air India’s India-US frequency to 40 non-stop flights per week. This will be the third Indian city after Delhi and Bengaluru to have a direct flight to San Francisco.