Air India To Scale Back Narrow-Body Flights Across 19 Routes

Air India has announced a five percent reduction in its narrow-body flight operations on select domestic and short-haul international routes. Beginning July 15, the airline will temporarily suspend services on three specific routes, while also scaling back the frequency of flights on 19 additional routes across its network. This move aims to enhance operational stability and improve overall service reliability for its customers.

This move follows Air India’s earlier announcement regarding a significant 15 percent reduction in its international wide-body services after the AI 171 Dreamliner crash at Ahmedabad on June 12.

The Routes

In the second phase of Air India's network recalibration, the airline has announced the temporary suspension of three specific routes as part of its operational adjustments. These routes include Bengaluru to Singapore (Flight Number 2393), Pune to Singapore (Flight Number 2110), and Mumbai to Bagdogra (Flight Number 552). The suspensions are set to remain in effect until mid-July, at which point the airline will conduct a thorough reassessment to determine the future of these services based on passenger demand and operational efficiency.

In addition to the route suspensions, Air India has implemented a reduction in the frequency of flights across 19 city pairs. This strategic decision reflects the airline's response to shifting travel patterns and aims to optimise resource allocation. Notably, the frequency of flights on Delhi to Mumbai route will decrease from 176 flights to 165 per week. Similarly, the Delhi to Kolkata route will see a reduction from 70 flights to 63, while the Delhi to Hyderabad route will drop from 84 flights down to 76 weekly flights.

Other significant routes impacted by these adjustments include Delhi to Goa, which is popular among both leisure and business travellers, as well as the Mumbai to Coimbatore and Mumbai to Ahmedabad routes. These changes are part of Air India's ongoing efforts to streamline its operations, enhance service reliability, and better align its flight schedules.

Air India has stated that, despite the ongoing reductions in service, it continues to operate nearly 600 daily flights for passengers across its domestic and short-haul international routes. Looking ahead, the airline is set to conduct a comprehensive review of the affected routes, with plans to gradually restore services in phases beginning in mid-July, contingent upon the availability of both fleet and crew resources.