IndiGo Cuts 7 International Routes, Including Hong Kong, Shanghai and Manchester

IndiGo, India’s largest airline, is temporarily suspending service on as many as seven international routes this summer, affecting travellers heading to Hong Kong, Shanghai, Ho Chi Minh City, Langkawi, Krabi, Siem Reap, and Manchester.

Which Routes Are Being Suspended?

IndiGo will temporarily suspend flights to six international destinations:

• Hong Kong
• Shanghai
• Ho Chi Minh City
• Langkawi
• Krabi
• Siem Reap

IndiGo confirmed that flights to Hong Kong, Shanghai, Ho Chi Minh City, Langkawi, and Krabi will be suspended from July 1, 2026, while Siem Reap services will stop from July 3, 2026. The airline currently plans to resume these routes on September 30, 2026.

Is Manchester Also Affected?

Yes. In a separate announcement, IndiGo confirmed that will discontinue its Manchester service from August 31, 2026, as part of a wider reduction in international capacity. Unlike the six Asian destinations, no restart date has been announced yet.

Why Is IndiGo Suspending These Flights?

IndiGo says the move is part of a network optimisation exercise driven by:

• Softer travel demand expected during the July-September quarter.
• Higher operating costs across the aviation sector.
• Continued international airspace restrictions have increased flight times and fuel consumption on some routes.

Impact on Indian Travellers

The suspended routes are popular among Indian tourists and business travellers, especially those flying from Delhi, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Chennai.

Shanghai and Hong Kong serve both business and leisure traffic, while Krabi, Langkawi, and Ho Chi Minh City are well-established holiday destinations for Indian travellers. Those with bookings after the suspension dates should watch for refund, rebooking, or schedule-change notifications from IndiGo.

One thing is becoming clear across the aviation sector: airlines are expanding internationally, but they are also becoming far more selective about where they deploy capacity as costs rise and demand softens.

What Happens Next?

For now, IndiGo plans to restore six routes at the end of September 2026, while there is no confirmation of the Manchester service. However, airlines routinely review route performance, meaning schedules could change depending on market conditions over the coming months.

Travellers with flexible plans may want to compare fares on competing carriers, as reduced capacity often affects ticket prices during peak travel periods.

Travelobiz Take

We see this as a temporary correction rather than a long-term retreat. Indian travellers still have options, but fewer direct flights could mean higher fares and less flexibility this summer.