Air India is set to commence non-stop flights from Bengaluru to San Francisco and also Hyderabad to Chicago.
The first-ever non-stop services to the United States is expected to commence between Bengaluru and San Francisco on January 9 and between Hyderabad and Chicago from January 13, said an Air India release.
The flight AI-175 from Bengaluru will operate with a Boeing 777-200LR aircraft twice a week on Mondays and Thursdays departing at 14.30 hours to arrive in San Francisco at 17.00 hours (local time) on the same day. The return flight AI-176 from San Francisco will operate on Saturdays and Tuesdays leaving at 20.30 hours (local time) to arrive in Bengaluru at 02.30 hours. The flight AI-107 from Hyderabad to Chicago will operate once a week every Friday departing at 12.50 hours to arrive in Chicago at 18.05 hours (local time) on the same day. The return flight AI-108 from Chicago will operate every Wednesday leaving at 21.30 hours (local time) to arrive in Hyderabad at 00.40 hrs.
Passengers from Bengaluru and Hyderabad - both gateways to South India - will enjoy huge benefits as these will enable faster and easier connections. At present, Air India operates non-stop flights from Delhi to New York, Newark, Washington, San Francisco and Chicago and from Mumbai to Newark, the release said.