Air India will reduce its flight operations by nearly 100 domestic and international routes through July as rising jet fuel prices and airspace restrictions render several overseas sectors unprofitable for the carrier.
As per the details, Air India CEO and Managing Director Campbell Wilson has informed staff that the airline had already scaled back operations for April and May, however, persistent economic pressures forced the management to extend these cuts into June and July.
The airline, which typically operates approximately 1,100 flights daily, is expected to cut down on service to destinations in Europe, North America, Singapore and Australia.
While airspace closures have forced pilots to take longer flight paths to reach international destinations, these diversions have also resulted in higher fuel consumption at a time when global markets remain volatile.
“Massive rise in jet fuel prices which, together with airspace closures and longer flying routes, have caused many of our international flights to become unprofitable to operate,” Wilson said in his message to the employees.
Wilson, who is set to step down from his position later this year, described the current operating environment as extremely challenging, and noted that the company had no alternative but to further trim the schedule for the upcoming months.
“We very much regret the disruption to our customers’ plans and our crew’s rosters, and hope that the Middle East situation settles – and the Strait of Hormuz opens – soon so that we can get back to a more normal state,” he added.
It may be noted that Pakistan’s continued closure of its airspace to Indian carriers is also causing massive financial disruption to Air India, with projected annual losses exceeding $591 million due to higher fuel costs, crew expenses and longer flight times for routes to Europe and North America.
Pakistan has repeatedly extended the ban since the May 2025 military clashes, forcing Air India among other Indian carriers to reroute flights, affecting major routes.
