Air India to add LA, Houston in its list of US destinations

Air India plans to expand its base in the US by adding Los Angeles and Houston into its roster, a day after launching the state-carrier's first direct flight from Delhi to Washington DC.

"We are looking at connecting two more cities -- Los Angeles and either Houston or Dallas," Air India Chairman and MD Ashwani Lohani said at an event to celebrate the launch of the direct non-stop flight yesterday between the capitals of the two largest democracies of the world.

The direct flight to Los Angeles is expected to be launched by October, while the date for the flight to



Houston or Dallas in Texas has not been determined yet, Lohani said. 

All this is part of the expansion plans of Air India, he said.

Washington DC is Air India's fifth US destination after New York, Newark, Chicago and San Francisco.

"Last year we launched four international flights from India. This year we have seven (new) international flights. New connections, brand new connections. And this is the way we are going to do it," Lohani said, adding that Air India is looking to significantly expand its operations in the US.