Since 2015, Star Alliance member and Indian flag carrier Air India has flown non-stop to San Francisco, initially from New Delhi, but eventually expanding to include Mumbai and Bangalore. Two of these flights, BOM-SFO and BLR-SFO, are among the longest non-stop flights in the world, easily exceeding the 16-hour threshold to qualify as ultra-long haul flights. All three routes are served by the longest-ranged aircraft in Air India’s fleet, the Boeing 777-200LR, which boasts a staggering 9,935-nautical mile range. Air India currently operates 8 of the type, 3 from its original order (the other 5 were leased to Etihad Airways, retired, and broken up) and 6 ex-Delta Air Lines aircraft. Of these, the former DL aircraft have noticeably more modern interiors, having gone a significant refresh before their premature retirement in 2020. Now, without further ado, here’s the actual flight:
Server: Solo
Airline: Air India
Aircraft: Boeing 777-200LR
Origin: Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai, India (BOM)
Destination: San Francisco International Airport, San Francisco, California (SFO)
Flight Number: AI179
Route: VAAB-KSFO
Seat: 11A (Business)
Time En Route: 15 Hours 30 Minutes
Waiting to board our flight at Mumbai’s Terminal 2, used by international flights. Our aircraft today is one of Air India’s original order of 8 777-200LRs, registered as VT-ALF
Ready to taxi
Powerful GE90 takeoff from Mumbai
Sunset somewhere over Kazakhstan
Entering Alaskan airspace over the Arctic Ocean
Glacier and mountains
Descending past the Golden Gate Bridge
Evening arrival into a foggy SFO
Parked and being prepared for the return flight to Mumbai as AI180