Air India is set to restore many of the flights that were reduced during July and August. Starting September 1, several domestic and international services are expected to return, giving passengers more travel options.
The airline also plans to increase flights on some popular international routes during the winter season. This could make travel easier for passengers planning trips in the coming months.
More International Flights Planned
Air India plans to increase flight frequency to major destinations including Frankfurt, Zurich, Vienna, Melbourne, Tokyo and New York.
With more flights available, passengers may get better options when choosing travel dates and timings. Travellers should check the latest flight schedule before booking, as frequencies may vary depending on the route.
Why Did Air India Reduce Flights?
Air India had reduced several flights during the past few months due to rising fuel prices and other operational issues.
The airline earlier decided to cut several international services between June and August. During this period, its international flight operations were reduced by around 27%.
Some routes saw fewer flights, while services on certain routes were temporarily suspended. These included Delhi-Chicago, Delhi-New York, Mumbai-New York, Delhi-Shanghai, Chennai-Singapore, Mumbai-Dhaka and Delhi-Male.
Domestic Flights Were Also Reduced
Air India also reduced its domestic flight schedule during July and August. The number of flights within India was cut by around 20% to 22%.
The airline normally operates around 3,600 domestic flights every week. A 22% reduction means more than 790 weekly flights could have been affected.
Air India had said that higher fuel costs were affecting operations and that flight frequencies would be increased once conditions improved.
What Does This Mean for Passengers?
Passengers affected by earlier flight cuts were given options such as changing their flight or travel date without additional charges, or requesting a full refund, depending on their situation.
With many reduced flights expected to return from September 1, travellers could have more options for both domestic and international journeys.
International passengers may especially benefit from increased frequencies on selected routes.
However, travellers should check Air India’s latest schedule for their specific route and travel date before booking, as flight frequency will differ from one destination to another.
