Air India’s plan to start a direct flight from Delhi to Israel has hit a ‘route block’ as Israel authorities have reservations on plane flying over Pakistan and Afghanistan. The shortest route proposed by Air India is six-and-a-half hours long and if Air India has to avoid Pakistan and Afghanistan, the journey would be nine hours long and also cost Rs 20 lakh in excess. Air India had planned to start the service on May 12 but it is unlikely to get a go ahead before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Israel later this month. The flight of Israeli airlines El Al to Tel Aviv from Mumbai take eight hours as they avoid entire Gulf and Pakistan and Afghanistan. If we taken that route, we will have to keep the fare on the higher side,” said an Air India official.

Source: Hindustan Times June 27, 2017 17:15 UTC