United Airlines is resuming daily nonstop flights between New York City’s Newark airport and Delhi and Mumbai, India, following the lifting of a restriction airspace over Iran and the Persian Gulf, a spokesperson for the airline tells Travel Agent. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued that restriction earlier this summer due to ongoing political tensions with Iran, prompting United to cancel the flights.
United says that eastbound flights to the two destinations will resume September 6, with westbound flights resuming September 7. Tickets are now available for purchase.
United said that, in December, it will also become the only U.S. airline to offer nonstop service to India from the West Coast with a new seasonal flight between San Francisco and Delhi. That new flight will offer connections from more than 80 cities in the United States, the airline noted. The seasonal San Francisco – Delhi service begins December 5, operated on Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft.
The FAA had issued the restriction following an incident in which Iran reportedly shot down a high-altitude U.S. surveillance drone. The FAA noted that, at the time the drone was shot down, a civil aircraft was operating within 45 nautical miles.
After that, United said that, following a security review, it had decided to cancel those flights to India, which crossed the restricted airspace. The move meant that there were no U.S. airlines operating flights to India. Delta had announced plans to begin nonstop service between New York – JFK and Mumbai earlier this summer. That flight is scheduled to begin December 22.
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