Air India has announced a significant cutback in its international operations, temporarily suspending 38 flights per week across 18 routes and halting services on three overseas routes between June 21 and July 15.
The Tata Group-owned carrier said the move aims to stabilise flight schedules and minimise last-minute passenger disruptions following a series of challenges — notably the tragic crash of its London-bound flight in Ahmedabad, which claimed 240 lives.
Routes Affected:
Flights have been suspended entirely on the Delhi–Nairobi, Amritsar–London Gatwick, and Goa (Mopa)–London Gatwick routes during this period.
Additionally, frequencies will be reduced on key routes to North America, Europe, Australia, and the Far East.
North American routes with reduced services:
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Delhi–Toronto
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Delhi–Vancouver
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Delhi–San Francisco
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Delhi–Chicago
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Delhi–Washington DC
European routes with fewer flights:
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Delhi–London Heathrow
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Bengaluru–London Heathrow
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Amritsar–Birmingham
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Delhi–Birmingham
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Delhi–Paris
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Delhi–Milan
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Delhi–Copenhagen
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Delhi–Vienna
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Delhi–Amsterdam
Far East and Australian routes:
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Delhi–Melbourne
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Delhi–Sydney
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Delhi–Tokyo Haneda
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Delhi–Seoul (Incheon)
Enhanced Safety Inspections:
The airline said the cuts were prompted by a need to conduct enhanced pre-flight safety checks on its Boeing 787 fleet — extended to the Boeing 777s as well — as a precautionary measure in the aftermath of the Ahmedabad tragedy.
Airspace closures in parts of the Middle East, night curfews at some foreign airports, and routine technical issues have also strained Air India’s operations, leading to a higher-than-normal number of cancellations in recent weeks.
Passenger Support:
CEO Campbell Wilson assured that affected passengers are being proactively contacted and offered options for rescheduling, rebooking on alternate flights, or full refunds.
“This measure will allow us to maintain more backup aircraft to handle unexpected technical issues and keep operations reliable,” Wilson said, apologising for the inconvenience caused.
The flight curtailments are expected to remain in effect until at least mid-July 2025.