Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru (KIAB/ BLR Airport) has further consolidated its position as the new gateway to India, with the landing of Air India flight 176 from San Francisco (SFO) on January 11, 0307 hours.
The flight, which will operate twice weekly to start, is Air India’s longest route in its network at approx.14,000 km (8,698 miles) and the longest flight to and from India (approximately 16 hours). Despite the current subdued pandemic environment, the maiden flight from SFO was booked to capacity in all classes. This stands testament to the potential demand on this sector. This route is also one of the top 10 longest routes in the World, in terms of distance flown.
The start of this non-stop route marks a significant milestone for BLR Airport as it becomes the first city in South India to connect with the United States.
Hari Marar, MD & CEO, Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), said: “It is a historic day for us at BLR Airport as we now a have non-stop route that connects two cities renowned for their technology prowess across the world. This fulfils a long pending demand of Bangaloreans and I am confident that this new route will further transform BLR by connecting people and businesses. At BIAL, we will continue to explore new routes that connect Bengaluru to key destinations across the world.”
The BLR-SFO route, which is in great demand, would enable faster and easier access to cities on the West Coast of the United States.
