A day after Air India announced a temporary reduction in its international services on widebody aircraft by 15 per cent till mid-July, the national carrier has given the complete list of the 16 routes that will be affected owing to the decision.
The airline said it has taken the decision to restore operational stability, enhance efficiency, and minimise any inconvenience to passengers amidst a “challenging period”.
In a press release issued on Wednesday night, the airline said that amid the ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, night curfews in the airspaces of several countries in Europe and East Asia, and the required safety checks on its aircraft fleet, Air India has experienced operational disruptions over the past six days, resulting in 83 flight cancellations.
In another statement issued on Thursday, the airline has announced temporary reductions and suspensions across several international routes as it undertakes enhanced safety checks and adjusts flight paths in response to airspace closures in the Middle East.
The changes, affecting services operated by Boeing 787 and 777 aircraft, will come into effect from June and remain in place until at least July 15, the airline said.
The move aims to restore schedule stability and reduce last-minute inconvenience to passengers.
Three routes have been suspended entirely
Delhi–Nairobi (AI961/962) – Four flights a week (suspended until 30 June)
Amritsar–London Gatwick (AI169/170) – Three flights a week
Goa (Mopa)–London Gatwick (AI145/146) – Three flights a week
In addition, several routes will operate at reduced frequencies for the duration of the disruption. These include:
North America
Delhi–Toronto: Reduced from 13 to 7 flights per week
Delhi–Vancouver: Reduced from seven to five flights per week
Delhi–San Francisco: Reduced from 10 to 7 flights per week
Delhi–Chicago: Reduced from seven to three flights per week
Delhi–Washington Dulles: Reduced from five to three flights per week
Europe
Delhi–London Heathrow: Reduced from 24 to 22 flights per week
Bengaluru–London Heathrow: Reduced from seven to six flights per week
Amritsar/Delhi–Birmingham: Reduced from three to two flights per week
Delhi–Paris: Reduced from 14 to 12 flights per week
Delhi–Milan: Reduced from seven to four flights per week
Delhi–Copenhagen: Reduced from five to three flights per week
Delhi–Vienna: Reduced from four to three flights per week
Delhi–Amsterdam: Reduced from seven to five flights per week
Australia
Delhi–Melbourne and Delhi–Sydney: Each reduced from seven to five flights per week
Far East
Delhi–Tokyo (Haneda): Reduced from seven to six flights per week
Delhi–Seoul (Incheon): Service to operate thrice weekly from June 21 to July 5, and four times a week thereafter until 15 July
Air India has apologised to passengers and said it is proactively reaching out to those affected. Options include rebooking on alternate flights, complimentary rescheduling or full refunds.
The airline added that the revised schedule is being progressively updated on its website, mobile app and contact centres.
“We remain committed to restoring our full schedule as soon as practicable, while at all times prioritising the safety of our passengers, crew and aircraft,” the statement said.
Passengers seeking further assistance can contact Air India’s regional offices or visit www.airindia.com.