NEW DELHI: The increased flying time for Air India nonstops between Delhi-UK and Delhi-North America since Afghan airspace closure on August 16 is going to reduce significantly with the airline deciding to use a route for the first time — over the mighty Hindu Kush ranges.
This new routing will see its Boeing 777s and 787s fly over the awe-inspiring Tirich Mir (7,780 metres), the world’s highest peak outside the Himalaya-Karakoram range.
Since mid-August nonstops on these routes, including PM Modi’s recent US visit on India One, take the longer route via south Pakistan below Afghanistan and then enter Iran-Turkey-beyond instead of the shorter Pakistan-Afghanistan-Turkmenistan/Uzbekistan route earlier.
