Why in news?

Air India has announced major cuts to its international flight schedule from June to August, including an almost 40% reduction in North American operations and substantial reductions in flights to SAARC and Southeast Asian destinations.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• International Routes Affected by Air India’s Flight Cuts
• Why Air India Has Cut International Flights?
• Wider Impact on Indian Airlines
• Global Aviation Faces Disruptions and Cost Pressures

International Routes Affected by Air India’s Flight Cuts

• Air India has removed 145 weekly international flights, resulting in an overall 27% reduction in international operations across multiple regions.
• North America Hit Hardest
  • North America, Air India’s most important international market, has seen a major impact: Weekly flights reduced from 51 to 33 (39% decline).
  • Temporary suspension of routes such as:
    • Delhi–Chicago
    • Delhi–Newark
    • Mumbai–New York
  • However, Mumbai–Newark has received four additional flights, taking the route to seven weekly services
• Europe Sees Moderate Cuts
  • Air India has withdrawn about 34% of flights on several European routes, including: Paris, Copenhagen, Milan, Vienna, Zurich, Rome.
  • Unaffected routes: London, Manchester, Amsterdam.
• Sharp Cuts in Asia-Pacific Routes
  • The steepest reductions have been in Southeast Asia, SAARC, and the Far East, with about 57% of flights withdrawn to destinations such as: Kathmandu, Dhaka, Colombo, Bangkok, Shanghai, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Ho Chi Minh City.
• Singapore Services Significantly Reduced
  • A total of 21 weekly flights from Delhi, Mumbai, and Chennai to Singapore have been withdrawn.
• Australia Routes Also Affected
  • Flights from Delhi to:
    • Melbourne reduced from 7 to 4 per week
    • Sydney reduced from 7 to 4 per week

Why Air India Has Cut International Flights?

• Air India’s flight reductions are mainly due to the West Asia conflict, which has forced airlines to avoid affected airspace for safety reasons, leading to significantly longer routes.
• Travel times to North America have increased by five to six hours, requiring refuelling stops in cities such as Vienna and Copenhagen.
• The situation has worsened for Indian carriers because Pakistan has barred Indian airlines from using its airspace since April 2025, following Operation Sindoor, placing them at a competitive disadvantage compared to foreign airlines such as Lufthansa.

Wider Impact on Indian Airlines

• The disruption is not limited to Air India. Other Indian airlines have also reduced international operations:
  • IndiGo: 21% reduction in international flights in April
  • SpiceJet, Akasa Air, Air India Express: Over 50% cuts, though on smaller international networks
• Why Air India Has Been Hit the Hardest
  • Air India has faced the biggest impact because it is the only Indian airline operating North American routes and has a strong presence across several European destinations, unlike IndiGo, which is still expanding internationally.
  • By April, jet fuel prices had risen by 130% due to tensions in the Gulf.
  • Since fuel accounts for nearly 40% of airline operating costs, this has sharply increased financial pressure.
  • Airlines have responded by imposing fuel surcharges and increasing ticket prices, but there are concerns that excessively high fares may reduce passenger demand.
  • Air India’s network rationalisation is aimed at limiting mounting losses amid operational disruptions.
  • The airline reported a ₹26,700 crore loss in FY 2025-26, driven by the Pakistan airspace ban, rising costs, and reputational setbacks after the Ahmedabad crash.

Global Aviation Faces Disruptions and Cost Pressures

• The aviation disruption is part of a broader global trend triggered by regional conflict and soaring fuel prices.
• Gulf carriers have been hit the hardest, with the International Air Transport Association reporting a 61% decline in international passenger traffic in March.
• Beyond the Gulf, airlines are cutting operations to manage costs and improve efficiency.
• The Lufthansa Group has cancelled 20,000 short-haul flights until October to save jet fuel and streamline long-haul connectivity.
• Qantas has also reduced capacity, cutting domestic flights by 5% and international services by 2%, while withdrawing some routes such as the Bengaluru–Sydney service despite expanding select Europe operations.