Air India Issues Revised Flight Schedule As International Cuts Take Effect From June 21
Additional reductions will be implemented through June 20 and extend until at least mid-July, Air India said.
Air India released a revised international flight schedule effective June 21 to July 15, following its decision to temporarily reduce services on widebody aircraft, including Boeing 787s and 777s, by 15%. The move comes in the wake of the Ahmedabad plane crash amid safety inspections.
In a statement, the airline confirmed that 83 international flights using Boeing 787s had already been cancelled between June 12- the day of the crash- and June 18. Additional reductions will be implemented through June 20 and extend until at least mid-July. These cuts, Air India said, are aimed at 'ensuring stability of operations, improving efficiency, and minimising last-minute inconvenience to passengers."
The revised schedule includes full suspensions of select routes, including Delhi–Nairobi, Amritsar–London Gatwick and Goa (Mopa)–London Gatwick and reduced frequencies on several North American, European, Far Eastern, and Australian routes.
Air India said the decision to reduce capacity stems from multiple factors: ongoing enhanced safety inspections, a cautious approach by engineering staff and pilots, night airspace curfews in parts of Europe and East Asia and geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.
The airline acknowledged passenger inconvenience and said affected travellers are being proactively contacted and offered alternative flights, complimentary rescheduling, or full refunds.
'Passengers will also be offered a choice to reschedule their travel without any cost or to be given full refund, as per their choice," the airline stated.
Air India has also issued a travel advisory for passengers flying to or through the Middle East, citing ongoing airspace volatility. As the airline continues to navigate operational disruptions, it reiterated that safety remains its top priority and assured passengers that efforts are underway to restore full services as soon as feasible.
The revised schedule is being updated progressively on airindia.com, the mobile app and via the airline's contact centres.
'This effectively adds to our reserve aircraft availability to take care of any unplanned disruptions," the airline added.
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