From Dec, Delta to resume Mum-JFK non-stop flights

Direct connectivity between India and the US is set to improve as US carrier Delta will resume New York JFK-Mumbai non-stop from December 22 and Mumbai-JFK non-stop from December 24. The flight will leave JFK at 9.15pm and reach Mumbai at 10.50pm the next day. The return flight will depart Mumbai at 12.50am and reach JFK at 6.35am the next day (all times local).
“Demand for flights between the US and India has increased by 60% in the last decade, and NY is the largest US market to India with the largest base of corporate customers,” said the airline, adding that passengers can enjoy free mobile messaging via WhatsApp, thanks to on-board Wi-Fi. Connecting through JFK, Delta said customers will have access to over 50 onward destinations throughout North America, Latin America and the Caribbean.
Delta first started this route in 2006, but stopped operations in 2009 “as illegally subsidized Middle East carriers made the route untenable”. Since then, United is the only US carrier to fly to India. It has daily non-stops on Newark (EWR)-Mumbai and EWR-Delhi, which is suspended till July 2. United will have a seasonal Delhi-San Francisco (SFO) direct from December 5 to March-end and depending on the response, may make it round the year flight. Among Indian carriers, only Air India flies to the US with over 30 weekly non-stops between Delhi, Mumbai and JFK, EWR, SFO, Chicago and Washington. On re-entering India market, Delta CEO Ed Bastian said the non-stop service “is the latest example of our international growth as we strive to connect the world better than any other airline”. tnn