Air India has announced that it will cut 38 international flights per week on 18 routes and suspend services on three overseas routes between June 21 and July 15. The affected routes include Delhi-Nairobi, Amritsar–London Gatwick, and Goa (Mopa)–London Gatwick.
The Tata Group owned airline has been grappling with disruptions in flight operations following the fatal London-bound flight crash in Ahmedabad which killed all 241 people but one onboard.
Air India said that the objective of reducing flights on 18 international routes is to restore schedule stability and minimise last-minute inconvenience to passengers. The detailed announcement follows the airline’s earlier statement that it would temporarily cut wide-body aircraft operations by 15 per cent.
Flight reductions across 18 international routes, full list here:
The airline will also reduce frequencies on 18 international routes covering North America, Europe, Australia, and the Far East. Affected North American routes include:
Delhi–Toronto
Delhi–Vancouver
Delhi–San Francisco
Delhi–Chicago
Delhi–Washington DC
European routes with fewer flights include:
Delhi–London Heathrow
Bengaluru–London Heathrow
Amritsar–Birmingham
Delhi–Birmingham
Delhi–Paris
Delhi–Milan
Delhi–Copenhagen
Delhi–Vienna
Delhi–Amsterdam
Services to the far east and Australia also face cutbacks:
Delhi–Melbourne
Delhi–Sydney
Delhi–Tokyo Haneda
Delhi–Seoul (Incheon)
Enhanced safety checks and external challenges prompt changes
The airline attributed the reductions to enhanced pre-flight safety checks, which are being voluntarily carried out on its Boeing 787 fleet, and now also on Boeing 777 aircraft, as a confidence-building measure following the crash.
Additionally, airspace closures in the Middle East, night-time restrictions at some international airports, and routine technical issues have further impacted flight schedules. Air India CEO Campbell Wilson explained that these combined factors have led to a “higher-than-usual number of cancellations” in recent days.
Passenger support and apologies issued
Air India has apologized for the inconvenience caused and assured that affected passengers are being proactively contacted for rescheduling, re-accommodation on alternate flights, or full refunds based on their preferences.
“This will also allow us to have more backup aircraft ready to handle any unexpected issues,” Wilson said. “We understand that this temporary reduction to our schedule may affect your travel plans, and we're deeply sorry for any inconvenience.” The flight curtailments are expected to remain in place until at least mid-July 2025.