air india
The ongoing tension in the Middle East region and the increase and decrease in fuel prices are now having an impact on air flights. Meanwhile, airline company Air India announced on Wednesday that the company is going to temporarily reduce flights on some domestic routes between June and August 2026. Earlier, the airline has also announced changes in some international flights.
The company has raised the issue due to the continuous increase in fuel prices and operational pressures related to the ongoing conflict in West Asia. A statement issued by the company said, “Following our already announced changes in some international services between June and August 2026, operations on some domestic routes are also being temporarily limited during the same period. Due to this, the number of flights (frequency) on some selected routes has been reduced. This important change has been made due to the continuing impact due to high fuel prices.”
Option of full refund also
Regarding the new arrangement, Air India has said that the number of flights can be increased again once the situation becomes normal. Efforts will be made to provide seats to passengers whose flights will be affected on other flights. Passengers will also have the option to change the date or get a full refund without any extra charges.
This latest step has been taken just days after the airline announced suspending its flights on 29 international routes and reducing their number. These decisions have been taken due to the rising cost of aviation turbine fuel, airspace restrictions and operational constraints related to tensions in West Asia and the Strait of Hormuz crisis.
Continuously increasing cost of operation
Air India had earlier said that this temporary change has been done with the aim of improving operational stability and reducing last-minute inconvenience to passengers, as there is continued uncertainty in the global aviation market due to the Iran conflict.
The company also cited the additional costs of changing routes due to skyrocketing prices of jet fuel and restrictions on airspace in parts of West Asia. The airline has suspended or reduced the number of flights on many routes in North America, Europe, Australia and South-East Asia.
Flights operated on these many routes
It also includes routes connecting Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai with cities like Chicago, San Francisco, Toronto, Paris, Singapore, Bangkok and Melbourne. Despite these cuts, the airline company said it will continue to operate more than 1,200 international flights every month across 5 continents.
Industry experts say airlines around the world are facing increasing pressure due to rising crude oil prices, additional flight time due to diversion from conflict areas and falling travel demand in some areas. Air India is also considering extensive cost-control measures to control its operational expenses amid this prolonged geopolitical crisis.
