Air India curtails flights on 22 routes to stabilise operations

Air India on Sunday announced fresh temporary reductions in its domestic and short-haul international network, cutting back less than 5 per cent of its narrow-body operations.

This fresh development comes on the heels of earlier announced cuts to its wide-body international services.

According to the Air India, the airline will suspend flights on three routes and reduce frequency on 19 others until at least July 15. The move, according to Air India, is intended to bolster overall operational stability and reduce last-minute disruptions for passengers.

The suspended routes include: Bengaluru-Singapore (AI2392/2393) – seven weekly flights, Pune–Singapore (AI2111/2110) – seven weekly flights and Mumbai–Bagdogra (AI551/552) – seven weekly flights.

The frequency reductions span several high-traffic domestic sectors. For instance, the Delhi-Mumbai route will see a cut from 176 to 165 weekly flights, while Mumbai-Kolkata will drop from 42 to 30 flights weekly. The Delhi-Goa routes —both Dabolim and Mopa — will be halved.

Other major reductions include: Delhi-Bengaluru: 116x to 113x weekly, Delhi-Kolkata: 70x to 63x weekly, Mumbai-Bengaluru: 91x to 84x weekly, Mumbai-Hyderabad: 63x to 59x weekly and Delhi-Indore: 21x to 14x weekly.

Despite these changes, Air India said it will continue operating nearly 600 daily flights using its narrow-body fleet, covering around 120 domestic and short-haul international routes.

“While we regret the inconvenience caused to affected passengers, these temporary reductions are necessary to maintain a consistent and reliable schedule,” an Air India official said.

He said that all affected passengers are being contacted proactively with options, including alternative flights, complimentary rescheduling or full refunds. The revised schedule is being updated progressively on Air India’s official platforms, including its website, mobile app and customer care services, the official added.

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