Air India Reduces 19 More Flights, Suspends Three Routes

dailyblitz.de 3 hours ago

GURUGRAM- Tata Group-owned Air India (AI) has announced temporary reductions in its narrowbody flight schedule, impacting both domestic and regional international services.

The changes, effective until at least 15 July 2025, affect flights departing from key cities including Delhi (DEL), Mumbai (BOM), Bengaluru (BLR), and Pune (PNQ).

Despite these service cuts, Air India (AI) will continue to operate nearly 600 daily flights across its narrowbody fleet, covering over 120 domestic and short-haul international routes.

The move is aimed at improving overall network reliability and reducing last-minute disruptions.

Air India Cuts Narrowbody Flights

Air India’s decision includes a less than 5% reduction in narrowbody operations. This involves full suspension of three routes and frequency cuts on 19 other routes, all intended to bolster schedule integrity.

These measures follow earlier cuts in widebody international services, signaling the airline’s broader strategic recalibration.

Suspended Routes Until 15 July 2025

Air India will temporarily suspend the following routes:

Bengaluru–Singapore (BLR-SIN) – Daily (AI2392/2393)
Pune–Singapore (PNQ-SIN) – Daily (AI2111/2110)
Mumbai–Bagdogra (BOM-IXB) – Daily (AI551/552)

Reduced Frequency Routes

Several high-frequency trunk routes will see a reduction in weekly services:

Delhi (DEL) – Bengaluru (BLR): 116x to 113x weekly
Delhi (DEL) – Mumbai (BOM): 176x to 165x weekly
Delhi (DEL) – Kolkata (CCU): 70x to 63x weekly
Delhi (DEL) – Goa (GOI & GOX): Both Dabolim and Mopa routes cut from 14x to 7x weekly each
Mumbai (BOM) – Bengaluru (BLR): 91x to 84x weekly
Mumbai (BOM) – Kolkata (CCU): 42x to 30x weekly
Mumbai (BOM) – Goa (GOI): 34x to 29x weekly
Other affected routes: Include connections from Delhi and Mumbai to Indore (IDR), Pune (PNQ), Hyderabad (HYD), Varanasi (VNS), and Coimbatore (CJB), among others.

Passenger Support and Recovery Plan

Air India has proactively begun contacting affected passengers, offering:

Re-accommodation on alternate flights
Free rescheduling
Full refunds based on customer preference

The updated schedule is gradually being made available on its website, the airline’s mobile app, and customer support channels. The airline reaffirmed its commitment to restoring full service as soon as operational readiness allows, emphasizing passenger safety and schedule reliability.

ALSO READ: Air India Checks Boeing 777 Fleet, Cuts 15% International Flights

Previous Announced Widebody Flight Cuts by 15%

Air India (AI) has announced a temporary scale-down of its long-haul international flights operated by Boeing 787 and 777 aircraft.

The suspension and frequency reduction affect routes from key Indian hubs such as Delhi (DEL), Amritsar (ATQ), and Goa (GOX), starting June 21 through at least July 15, 2025.

The airline attributed the move to two key factors: precautionary safety inspections of its wide-body fleet and longer flight durations due to airspace restrictions over the Middle East.

Operational Adjustments

In a statement released on June 18, Air India (AI) confirmed it will reduce or suspend several international services to uphold operational stability. This follows the airline’s decision to perform voluntary pre-flight safety checks on its Boeing 787 and 777 aircraft.

At the same time, closed Middle Eastern air corridors have forced longer detours, increasing fuel and crew costs.

These measures aim to limit last-minute cancellations and minimize network disruptions while maintaining passenger safety.

Full Route Suspensions Until Mid-July

The following international routes will be completely suspended between June 21 and July 15, 2025:

Delhi (DEL) – Nairobi (NBO) | AI961/962 | 4x weekly (suspended until June 30)
Amritsar (ATQ) – London Gatwick (LGW) | AI169/170 | 3x weekly
Goa Mopa (GOX) – London Gatwick (LGW) | AI145/146 | 3x weekly