Delta's Launching Nonstop Flights From New York to Mumbai This Winter
Delta Air Lines is returning to India this winter. The airline announced Tuesday afternoon that, beginning in December, it will fly nonstop between its New York-JFK hub to Mumbai, India (BOM). With the new nonstop service between the United States and India, Delta will become the second US carrier to serve India.
Nonstop service from New York JFK to Mumbai begins on December 22nd. Delta will operate the new nonstop service with a retrofitted Boeing 777-200LR. The aircraft will feature the new Delta One Suites in business class and Premium Select in premium economy. In addition to both of Delta's new premium products, the aircraft features Comfort+ and standard main cabin seating.
Delta will offer a daily round-trip flight. The service will operate year-round. The following table displays the scheduled flight times:
| Route | Departure Time | Arrival Time | Scheduled Flight Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York (JFK) to Mumbai (BOM) | 9:15 PM | 10:50 PM (+1 Day) | 16:35 Hours |
| Mumbai (BOM) to New York (JFK) | 12:50 AM | 6:35 AM | 14:45 Hours |
Delta previously served India beginning in 2006, from Atlanta, but ended the service in 2009. The airline claims that service between the US and India became "untenable" as a result of "illegally subsidized Middle East carriers."
"Subsidies pose a serious threat to American workers. Every long-haul route lost or foregone to subsidized Middle East carrier competition costs more than 1,500 American jobs", said Peter Carter, Delta's Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer in the airline's official press release. Delta, American and United say that some Middle Eastern airlines compete unfairly. Other airlines, including some US-based ones, dispute that.
Delta's Vice President and Chief Legal Officer also claimed that the new service between the United States and India was made possible by "landmark agreements the Trump administration reached with Qatar and the U.A.E."
Delta's CEO Ed Bastian further praised the president of the United States saying in a press release that, "This route would not be possible without the administration's ongoing efforts to enforce fair competition in international travel, ensuring that consumers enjoy a wide range of choices as they travel the globe."
With the airline's new service, Delta will join United and Air India in serving India from New York City.
While flight schedules were made available, Delta has yet to release tickets for the new flights from New York to Mumbai. The airline's official press release did not include a timeline of when flights will be added to the Delta's schedule or when tickets will be available for purchase.