New Delhi: Air India plans to operate about 37% fewer international flights between June and August compared to April, as prolonged airspace restrictions and soaring jet fuel prices amid a war in West Asia weigh on its viability. The sharp reduction adds to the growing operational and financial challenges of the Tata Group carrier.
The airline cut its scheduled international departures to around 1,240 per month for each of the three months, down sharply from 1,987 in April, data from British aviation analytics firm OAG reviewed by Mint showed. As of now, its scheduled international departures for May are at 2,072.
In a statement on Wednesday, the airline said the route rationalization was being carried out due to continued airspace restrictions “over certain regions” and record high jet fuel prices for international operations, which had significantly harmed the “commercial viability of certain scheduled services”.
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Air India is cutting international flights by 37% due to prolonged airspace restrictions in certain regions and soaring jet fuel prices, which have severely affected the commercial viability of scheduled services.
Air India is suspending flights on routes like Delhi-Chicago, Mumbai-New York, Delhi-Shanghai, Chennai-Singapore, Mumbai-Dhaka and Delhi-Malay. Frequencies to North America, Europe and Australia will also be reduced.
Turbine jet fuel prices for international operations have nearly doubled and were 63% higher in May than before the Iran conflict. This increase significantly increases Air India’s operating costs.
Air India is offering affected passengers rebooking to alternative flights, free date changes or full refunds depending on their eligibility.
The airline is facing challenges in the form of prolonged airspace restrictions, record high jet fuel prices, longer flights due to rerouting and a weakening rupee, all of which are increasing operating costs and impacting profitability.
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Although Air India did not disclose the exact extent of the cuts, it said it will operate more than 1,200 international flights every month from June to August.
“The airline will resume full capacity as soon as conditions permit,” Air India said, adding that it “may make further adjustments to its network if extraordinary operational conditions prevail”.
The service cuts come after more than a year of operational outages and rising costs for carriers.
First, the closure of Pakistani airspace from April 2025 has forced longer flight times to West Asia, costing the airline an estimated ₹4,000 million crowns. Then in June 2025, the crash of an Air India flight bound for London, which killed 260 people, brought the airline under increased regulatory scrutiny and forced a curtailment of international operations.
New disruptions emerged in late February, when the US-Iran war prompted further airspace closures, extended flight times and fuel burns. At the same time, international operating costs have soared, jet fuel prices for turbines in India have almost doubled. Air India has asked the government for relief in jet fuel costs, though no reduction has been announced so far for airlines operating international flights.
The airline is also undergoing a leadership change after chief executive Campbell Wilson stepped down in late March and entered a notice period. The airline has not yet named a successor.
Air India posted a consolidated net loss of over ₹10,000 crore in FY25.They are yet to announce FY26 profit.
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Flight restriction details
Air India said the rationalization will affect four of the five international regions it serves. In North America, the airline temporarily suspended flights from Delhi to Chicago and Newark, as well as flights from Mumbai to New York. Frequencies to San Francisco, Toronto and Vancouver will be reduced by 30-50%, while the Mumbai-Newark operation will be doubled.
For Europe, the frequency of flights to Paris, Copenhagen, Milan, Vienna, Zurich and Rome will be reduced by about one third. And for Australia, services to Melbourne and Sydney will be cut by 43%.
In Asia, the carrier suspended services to China and the Maldives from Delhi, Bangladesh from Mumbai and Singapore from Chennai. Other routes – including Delhi – Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Kathmandu, Ho Chi Minh City, Colombo and Bangkok – will see reductions of 35-36% over the three-month period.
Read also | ₹500 crore hit: US-Iran war cuts into Indian airlines’ profits.
“Air India follows a very standard practice of cutting loss-making routes to manage finances. Some routes like Chicago, Newark and San Francisco are old ones that have never been profitable,” said Mark D. Martin, chief executive of aviation analyst firm Martin Consulting. “However, despite this restriction, it is unlikely to have an immediate impact on their losses. It will still take 12 months for their numbers to recover.”
