Air India maiden non-stop flight from Chicago lands at Hyderabad

Naveen S Garewal
Tribune News Service
Hyderabad, January 15

In another first, the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, which is rated among the top International airports in the country, has introduced non-stop Air India flights from Hyderabad to Chicago. 

The first non-stop Air India flight (AI-108) from Chicago landed here on Friday morning. 

It carried 237 passengers and 16 aircraft crew—and after a while—the same aircraft, Boeing 777LR took off from Hyderabad to Chicago with 226 passengers and 16 crew. 

Senior officials from GMR Hyderabad International Airport along with Air India staff, and other airport stakeholders were present at the terminal to welcome, and see passengers take off. 

Officials said that the Hyderabad to Chicago flight (AI 107) will operate once a week, on Fridays, departing, here, at 1250 hours (IST) and will arrive in Chicago at 1805 hours (CST/US time) on the same day. 

The return flight AI-108 from Chicago to Hyderabad will operate every Wednesday leaving Chicago at 2130 hours (CST/US Time) to reach Hyderabad at 0140 hours (IST) covering a distance of 13,293 km in around 16 hours. 

Pradeep Panicker, CEO, GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd, said: “This new non-stop route connecting Hyderabad and Chicago in the USA has been on our connectivity wish list for quite some time. And we are delighted that it is our very own national carrier Air India that has commenced this service. The launch of this route brings two destinations closer for all our passengers who have been waiting eagerly for a direct flight from Hyderabad to the USA.” 

It is pertinent to note, that Hyderabad is home to many multi-national companies that include several software giants like Microsoft, Google, etc. and has a huge base for e-commerce company Amazon. 

Besides, there are several international companies with a backend in the city. 

The flight will serve as a link between Telangana and other cities of the USA as Chicago is the hub for United and other American Airlines.