On 13 May 2026, Air India announced the temporary adjustment of its flights on 29 international routes from June to August 2026 due to high jet fuel prices and airspace restrictions. Doing this flight cuts Air India’s international flight capacity by 15-27%, around 400 flights during the peak summer period.
Air India (and the broader group post-Vistara merger) also reported a massive loss of $2.8 billion (₹26,800 crore ) for FY26, which is much worse than their expectations.
Despite all this, Air India will plan to maintain the number of over 1,200 international flights per month. Cutting routes is a strategic move, not a collapse or downfall of the airline.
Why is Air India Cutting Flights?
According to the Air India official press release, the adjustments are due to two primary factors:
1: Record High Jet Fuel Prices
The global jet fuel price increases from $99.40 to $179.46 per barrel. Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) accounts for nearly 40% of the total expenses of running a flight. Due to a sharp increase in aviation turbine fuel (ATF) prices, it directly impacted and increased the airline operating expenses by 40%.
2: Continued Airspace Restrictions and Geopolitical Disruptions
The Pakistani airspace is completely banned for the indian aircraft due to military escalation last year in April 2025. CAPA India estimated an annual hit of $600 million to Air India alone due to its proximity.
List of Air India Affected Routes & Schedule Changes (June–August 2026)
Fully Suspended (Temporary): 6 routes
- Delhi-Chicago
- Delhi-Newark
- Mumbai-New York (JFK)
- Delhi-Shanghai
- Chennai-Singapore
- Mumbai-Dhaka
- Delhi-Malé
North America Cuts
Long-haul flights to North America have seen major cuts and reductions of up to 40%. Delhi-Chicago flights are suspended, while San Fransciso flights are reduced to 7 weekly. Toronto flights are reduced to 5 times weekly and will return to daily in August.
- Delhi-Chicago: Temporarily suspended
- Delhi-San Francisco: Reduced from 10x to 7x weekly
- Delhi-Toronto: Reduced from 10x weekly to 5x weekly
- Delhi-Vancouver: Reduced from 7x weekly to 5x weekly
- Mumbai-Newark: Service increases from 3x weekly to 7x weekly
- Delhi-New York (JFK): Remains a 7x weekly service, while Delhi-Newark and Mumbai-New York (JFK) services will be temporarily suspended
Europe, UK, Australia & Asia Reductions
- Delhi-Paris: Flights reduced from 14x to 7x weekly
- Delhi -Rome: Reduced from 4x to 3x weekly
- Delhi-Singapore: Reduced from 24x weekly to 14x weekly
- Mumbai-Singapore: Reduced from 14x weekly to 7x weekly
- Chennai-Singapore: Temporarily suspended through August 2026
- Delhi-Bangkok: Reduced from 28x weekly to 21x weekly (from July)
- Mumbai-Bangkok: Reduced from 13x weekly to 7x weekly
Read More About: Why did Spirit Airlines Shut down its Operations
| Region | Previous Weekly | New Weekly | % Change | Notable Suspensions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North America | ~51 | 33 | -35% | Delhi-Chicago, Delhi-Newark, Mumbai-New York (JFK) |
| Europe | ~58 | 47 | -19% | – |
| United Kingdom | ~65 | 57 | -12% | – |
| Australia | 14 | 8 | -43% | – |
| Far East, Southeast Asia & SAARC | ~210+ | 158 | -25% | Delhi-Shanghai, Chennai-Singapore, Mumbai-Dhaka, Delhi-Malé |
| Mauritius (Africa) | 7 | 7 | 0% | – |
Refunds and Alternate Options
Air India said that Affected passengers will be offered alternative flights whenever feasible. Passengers can also modify flight dates or get full refunds depending on ticket booking conditions. The airline will also offer 24×7 support via contact center or digital channels.
Leave a Reply