Air India expands Canada service amid midair drop incident injuring 17

Air India announced a seasonal nonstop service between Mumbai and Toronto for the winter 2026‑27 season, adding three weekly flights from 25 October 2026 to 26 March 2027. The new route will be operated with Boeing 777‑300ER aircraft featuring upgraded cabin interiors, and the airline will also increase premium seat capacity on its Delhi‑Toronto flights by deploying brand‑new Boeing 787‑9 jets from January 2027. The carrier has also removed a Vienna fuel stop from its daily Delhi‑Toronto service, raising the frequency to seven flights per week and boosting the overall India‑Canada capacity by 4,400 seats each month.

Days after the expansion was publicised, an Air India Airbus A320neo on flight AI2379 from Phuket to Delhi experienced a sudden loss of altitude during cruise on 4 August, dropping about 300 feet. The turbulence lifted passengers from their seats, injuring 17 people – 13 passengers and four crew members – with some reported serious injuries. The aircraft landed safely in Delhi and investigators have secured the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder while the cause of the incident is being examined.