Air India is gradually restarting its international flights after recent disruptions, with a phased plan starting August 1 and a complete resumption by October 1, 2025, according to CEO Campbell Wilson.
Operations Reset After Ahmedabad Crash
The airline had earlier announced a 15% reduction in international services using widebody aircraft following a crash on June 18 involving flight AI171 in Ahmedabad.
Before this decision, Air India had already cancelled 83 international flights due to operational issues.
Air India said, “This step is aimed at ensuring operational stability, improving efficiency, and minimizing inconvenience to passengers.”
CEO Wilson admitted that these disruptions affected passengers and promised improvements in the airline’s internal systems.
He added, “This careful approach allows us to complete all checks properly and restart services with full confidence.”
Flight Updates and Route Adjustments
As part of its phased restoration, Air India is changing the number of flights on several key international routes:
Delhi–Zurich: Increased to 5 flights per week from August 1
Delhi–Tokyo Haneda: Daily flights resumed from August 1
Delhi–Seoul Incheon: 5 flights per week starting September 1
Delhi–London Heathrow: Returned to 24 weekly flights from July 16 (pre-crash level)
Delhi–Amsterdam: Daily flights resume from August 1
Ahmedabad–London: Now 3 weekly flights to Heathrow, down from 5 to Gatwick
Amritsar–Birmingham: 2 weekly flights until August 31, increasing to 3 from September
At the same time, reduced flight frequencies will remain in place until August 1 on several European routes from Delhi, including Paris, Milan, Copenhagen, Vienna, and Amsterdam.
Air India Prioritizes Safety and Stability
Air India has repeated that passenger safety and operational reliability remain its highest priorities. Passengers affected by cancellations were given options for rebooking or full refunds.
This step-by-step recovery is part of Air India’s broader transformation under the Tata Group, which aims to rebuild the airline’s global reputation by focusing on reliability, safety, and trust in its international services.
