Air India weighs restoring part of international flights as Iran tensions ease

India’s national carrier Air India is considering restoring parts of its international flight schedule that were reduced due to Middle East airspace restrictions and high aviation turbine fuel (ATF) prices.

Air India CEO Campbell Wilson said in an internal communication to employees that the airline could reverse some of the recent capacity cuts if conditions in the Middle East remain stable and fuel prices ease significantly.

The development came after the US and Iran signed an MoU on April 18 to halt a four-month-long war and begin negotiations for a long-term resolution to the conflict. With the fighting coming to an end across the Middle East, crude oil prices, which had been above $100 per barrel, fell to around $70.

This has also led to expectations that international aviation, which had been significantly affected by the closure of airspace in the Middle East, would gradually return to normal operations in the near future.

AIR INDIA'S MASSIVE ROUTE CUTS

On May 13, Air India announced temporary reductions and suspensions on several international routes till August 2026, citing the commercial viability of some routes.

The airline had said the move was aimed at “improving network stability and reducing last-minute inconvenience to passengers.”

Among the biggest changes, Air India had temporarily suspended its Delhi–Chicago service. The Delhi–Newark and Mumbai–New York JFK services were also temporarily suspended.

Delhi–San Francisco flights were reduced from 10 weekly services to seven through August, while Delhi–Toronto flights were cut from 10 weekly services to five through July. Delhi–Vancouver services were also reduced from seven weekly flights to five.

In Europe, Delhi–Paris flights were reduced from 14 weekly services to seven. Delhi–Copenhagen services dropped from four weekly flights to three, while Delhi–Milan flights were reduced from five weekly services to four. Flights from Delhi to Vienna, Zurich, and Rome were also reduced from four weekly services to three.

Air India also reduced frequencies on multiple routes in Australia and Asia. Delhi–Melbourne and Delhi–Sydney flights were cut from seven weekly services to four.

Among Asian routes, Delhi–Shanghai flights were temporarily suspended through August. Delhi–Singapore flights were reduced from 24 weekly services to 14, while Mumbai–Singapore services were cut from 14 weekly flights to seven. Chennai–Singapore flights were also temporarily suspended.

Delhi–Bangkok flights were reduced from 28 weekly services to 21 from July, while Mumbai–Bangkok flights dropped from 13 weekly services to seven. Delhi–Kuala Lumpur services were reduced from 10 weekly flights to five. Flights from Delhi to Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi also operated at lower frequencies in July and August.

Delhi–Kathmandu flights were reduced from 42 weekly services to 28 in June and further to 21 in July and August. Delhi–Dhaka services were reduced from seven weekly flights to four, while Mumbai–Dhaka flights were temporarily suspended through August.

Mumbai–Colombo flights were reduced from seven weekly services to four, while Delhi–Colombo flights were reduced from 14 weekly flights to 12. Delhi–Male flights were also temporarily suspended through August.

WORKING TO RESTORE FULL CAPACITY

Despite the temporary adjustments, Air India has continued to operate more than 1,200 international flights every month across five continents.

Air India has also been operating 33 weekly flights to North America, 47 weekly flights to Europe, 57 weekly flights to the UK, eight weekly flights to Australia, 158 weekly flights to the Far East, Southeast Asia and Saarc destinations, along with seven weekly flights to Mauritius.

The airline further said it was working closely with regulators, airport authorities, and industry partners to restore full capacity as soon as conditions permitted.

However, Air India warned that it might make further adjustments to its network if the “extraordinary operating environment” continued.

- Ends