GURUGRAM / ROME : Air India inaugurated its new 4x weekly non-stop service
to Rome Fiumicino, touching down at the Italian capital city after nearly six
years and thus, expanding its presence in Mainland Europe. Rome is Air India’s eighth
gateway in Mainland Europe and the second destination in Italy, after Milan.
Flight AI123 departed from
Delhi at 1332 Hrs (IST) of 25 March, landing at Rome Fiumicino in the evening to
a warm welcome from dignitaries from the Indian Embassy in Italy, Fiumicino
airport officials, and Air India staff.
The first flight was welcomed by a delegation including H.E. Ms Vani
Rao, Ambassador of India to Italy and San Marino; Mr Gaurav Gandhi, Deputy
Chief of Mission, Embassy of India in Rome; Mr. Swaminathan Krishnamoorthy,
Head of Chancery, Embassy of India in Rome; and senior officials from Aeroporti
Di Roma, who also inaugurated the departing flight from Rome, which landed in
Delhi at 1029 Hrs (IST) today. The dignitaries celebrated the occasion with a
traditional Indian ceremony of lamp-lighting, cake-cutting and honouring the
first passenger to board the flight.
Nipun Aggarwal, Chief
Commercial Officer, Air India, said: “Demand for travel
between India and Europe continues to grow across both leisure and business
segments, with the two nations sharing so much in common culturally, and their
increasing exchange that continues to deepen business, trade, and
people-to-people ties. We are delighted to reconnect the two historic capital
cities while also enabling seamless onward travels via our Delhi hub to and
from destinations across the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia.”
Deepening India-Italy ties
Italy remains an important
partner for India across trade, tourism and cultural exchange. Bilateral trade
between the two countries surpassed USD 14 billion in 2025, supported by strong
collaboration in sectors like engineering, automative, fashion and design.
Italy is also home to one of the largest Indian communities in continental
Europe, with more than 200,000 people of Indian origin contributing to steadily
growing travel demand between the two countries.
“We are pleased to
welcome Air India’s arrival in Rome,” said Ivan Bassato, Chief
Aviation Officer of Aeroporti di Roma. “The new direct
connection to Delhi enhances our offering to the Indian capital and meets the
growing travel demand between Italy and India. This new route further
strengthens Rome Fiumicino’s role as a leading international hub in the
Mediterranean, increasingly central to air links with Asia.”
Flight schedule
Air India now operates between
Delhi and Rome four times a week – on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays
– using its B787-8 aircraft. The aircraft features a two-class cabin
configuration with 18 fully flat beds in Business Class and 241 spacious seats
in Economy Class, offering guests a comfortable flying experience complemented
by Air India’s signature warm Indian hospitality and onboard service.
The flight schedule has been designed to enable convenient connections via Delhi to several destinations across India and Southeast Asia, including but not limited to Thailand, Sri Lanka, Malysia, Singapore, and Vietnam. This enables travellers from Italy to easily access Air India’s growing international and domestic network.