To save fuel and time, an Air India plane flies across the world's highest route in the Hindu Kush mountains

For US (North America) and Europe operations, Tata-owned Air India aircraft have begun flying from 'Hindu Kush,' one of the world's highest routes, decreasing flight time and conserving fuel. Since Afghanistan's airspace has been closed, Air India has operated flights from India to Western countries via the Hindu Kush route. "Hindu Kush is one of the world's highest air routes and Hindu Kush route starts saving time and fuel," an airline official on anonymity told ANI.

On December 16, an Air India flight from Toronto to Delhi flew over the Hindu Kush. Last week, AI deployed four pilots on the Toronto route. Senior commanders of AI's Boeing B777 call sign (VT-ALQ Manipur) over the Hindu Kush are Captains Zoya Agarwal, R Someshwar, Sandeep Mukhedkar, and Abhay Agarwal.

"This route is challenging because since it is the highest route to fly in the world, there are many challenging procedures that you will have to complete in case of any emergency or technical issue and all the procedures are well thought out and are employed keeping safety paramount. In case anything goes wrong we are flying over the Hindukush region which is the highest area to fly in all over the world," one of the four pilots told ANI.

Captain Zoya Agarwal, the group's lone female pilot, made history by flying the first North Pole flight (from San Francisco to Bengaluru). "First woman commander to be a Part of 4-member cockpit crew that operated B777 call sign 'VT-ALQ Manipur' Toronto-Delhi flying over the Hindu Kush ranges on December 16 who also was the first to operate SFO-BLR inaugural taking the polar route on Jan 9, 2021, on a B777 'ER-ALQ Kerala'," airline officials informed.

Following the closure of Afghanistan's airspace, Indian carriers flew from Delhi to Heathrow (London) via southern Pakistan for 9.5 hours. Air India saved roughly one hour and 2.5 tonnes of fuel by taking the Hindu Kush Himalayan range route. The flight was 8.5 hours long. In comparison to the old route through Afghanistan, the Hindu Kush route will be a very cost-effective operation for Indian carriers.

"The Hindu Kush Himalayan range route will save flying time and fuel upto 5 tonnes it depends on wind speed and direction," an Air India official said. Soaring over Tirich Mir (7,780 m or 25,525 ft), the world's highest peak outside the Himalaya-Karakoram range, is part of the Hindu Kush route.

"Flying close to Tirich mir making this route very critical," an AI pilot told ANI. The B-777 can fly to a maximum height of over 30,000 feet when fully loaded with people and fuel, and over 35,000 feet with the B-787 Dreamliner, according to the aircraft structure.