Air India, Air India Express, and IndiGo are reducing domestic flight operations from June, removing around 250 services a day from the market. The move follows a rise in aviation turbine fuel (ATF) prices and is likely to limit seat availability on several routes, potentially pushing ticket prices higher.
For travellers, the changes are likely to mean fewer flights to choose from on popular routes linking major cities. As the two airline groups carry the vast majority of domestic passengers in India, even a relatively small reduction in capacity can have a marked effect on availability and pricing.
While higher fuel prices have been a key factor behind the schedule reductions, airlines are also contending with a seasonal slowdown in demand. Domestic travel traditionally eases after the summer holiday period, and carriers have reported softer booking patterns ahead of what is generally considered one of the weaker phases of the year.
Who Is Cutting What?
The reductions vary by carrier, although Air India Group is making the deepest cuts to its domestic network:
Air India is reducing between 15 per cent and 22 per cent of its planned domestic schedule, resulting in the cancellation of around 110 to 120 flights each day. “These adjustments are driven by the sustained impact of high fuel prices on overall operations. Air India will continue to monitor demand and operating conditions closely,” Air India said in a statement.
IndiGo is trimming between 5 per cent and 10 per cent of its daily operations. While proportionally smaller, the reduction translates into a significant number of cancellations given the airline operates more than 1,950 flights a day.
Air India Express is also scaling back services, with domestic capacity expected to be reduced by about 10 per cent.
Routes Facing The Biggest Cuts
Rather than suspending routes altogether, the airlines are reducing the number of flights operating on several high-volume domestic sectors. Short-haul metro connections, particularly those with flight times of less than 90 minutes, are expected to see the most noticeable changes.
From Delhi: Airlines are reducing frequencies on services to Kolkata, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad.
From Mumbai: Some of the largest cuts are being made on routes to Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Nagpur, Patna, and Bhopal.
Major hub connections: Key trunk routes, including the busy Delhi–Mumbai corridor, are also seeing significant adjustments to flight schedules.
What Passengers Need To Know
Passengers with upcoming domestic travel plans are advised to review their bookings and monitor any schedule changes issued by their airline.
Affected flights removed from sale: To reduce disruption, airlines have already withdrawn the cancelled services from their booking platforms, preventing new reservations from being made on affected flights.
Options for impacted travellers: For passengers whose flights are pulled, airlines will usually offer a refund or the option to shift to another date, though choices depend heavily on seat availability on alternative services.
Check your booking status: Travellers are also being urged to keep checking their bookings directly with the airline. With fewer flights running on several busy routes, replacement seats are expected to be limited, particularly on peak-day departures.
Why Airlines Are Cutting Flights
The reduction in services is being driven by a mix of cost pressures and softer demand conditions across the market.
Rising jet fuel costs: Volatility in global crude prices, linked to the US–Iran tensions, has pushed Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) in India beyond INR 1,00,000 per kilolitre, up from around INR 80,000 earlier. Industry sources say the increase has made some shorter domestic sectors harder to sustain economically.
Seasonal demand drop: Domestic travel is also beginning to cool after the peak summer holiday rush, with airlines reporting softer bookings as the season shifts into its quieter phase.
Fewer connecting passengers: At the same time, there are fewer onward passengers feeding into domestic services, after changes to Air India’s international network linked to airspace restrictions and operational checks.
(With inputs from various sources)
FAQs
Why are Air India, Air India Express and IndiGo cancelling flights?
The airlines are cutting domestic services mainly due to higher aviation turbine fuel (ATF) costs, weaker seasonal demand, and wider network adjustments across domestic and international operations.
How many flights are being cancelled daily?
Together, the three carriers are withdrawing around 250 domestic flights per day from June as part of schedule reductions.
Which routes are likely to be affected the most?
High-frequency metro routes such as Delhi–Mumbai, Delhi–Kolkata, Delhi–Bengaluru, and Mumbai–Ahmedabad are expected to see the most noticeable cuts in flight frequency.
Will passengers get refunds or alternative flights?
Yes. Passengers affected by cancellations are typically offered a refund, rebooking on another flight, or a change of travel date, depending on availability and fare conditions.
Will airfares increase because of these cuts?
Fares could rise on some routes as reduced flight availability tightens seat supply, particularly during peak travel days and busy metro sectors.
