By Air India has started non-stop flights on its Delhi-Toronto route from August 1, deploying a new Boeing 787-9 aircraft and removing the earlier fuel stop at Vienna.
The change is set to cut flying time by nearly three hours, bringing the journey down to about 17 hours from roughly 20 hours with the fuel stop.
The return Toronto-Delhi service will continue non-stop, with flying time of up to 16 hours.
Air India is also stepping up frequency on the route, moving from five weekly flights to a daily service from August 1.
The new 787-9 aircraft on the route has 30 private suites in Business Class, 28 Premium Economy seats and 238 Economy seats, with cabins blending contemporary design and Indian-inspired aesthetics.
Air India said the removal of the fuel stop remains subject to available airspace.
The change is part of the airline’s broader fleet modernisation effort, which has brought new aircraft and refreshed cabin products to several international routes.
Vienna had served as the refuelling stop for the Delhi-Toronto sector for several years prior to Wednesday’s switch.
The carrier separately restored its codeshare partnership with Air Canada in December 2025, five years after it was suspended during the pandemic, extending Air India passengers’ reach to more Canadian cities.
Every seat on the new aircraft carries Thales’ AVANT Up in-flight entertainment system, with high-definition screens, Bluetooth headphone pairing and updated charging facilities.
Toronto is among several North American destinations Air India operates to directly, including New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Vancouver.
Air India has been steadily inducting new aircraft and refreshing cabin products across its international network as part of a broader fleet modernisation programme in recent years.
Vienna had served as the enroute fuel stop for the Delhi-Toronto sector for several years, adding significantly to overall journey time for passengers travelling between India and Canada.
(Image: Photo by Steve Knight, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0)
