Air India temporarily cuts 118 weekly flights, suspends three routes amid safety inspections

Air India has announced a temporary reduction of 118 weekly flights operated by its narrow-body aircraft across 19 routes and the suspension of services on three routes. The decision, which takes effect until at least July 15, 2025, comes as the airline continues to stabilise operations following a major safety crisis.

The Tata Group-owned airline clarified in a statement on Sunday that the cuts represent less than 5 percent of its overall narrow-body network. “This voluntary decision leads to the temporary suspension of Air India's services on 3 routes and reduction of frequency on 19 routes,” the statement said.

Among the suspended routes are Bengaluru–Singapore, Pune–Singapore, and Mumbai–Bagdogra (AI551/552) — with seven weekly flights halted for now. In addition, flight frequencies on several major domestic routes, including Delhi–Bengaluru and Delhi–Mumbai, will be scaled back as part of the airline’s operational adjustments.

Air India stressed that the temporary flight reductions are part of an effort to ensure network-wide operational stability and reduce the risk of last-minute cancellations or delays.

Wide-body flight cuts after fatal crash

Sunday’s announcement follows an earlier move by Air India to temporarily cut 15 percent of its international flights operated by wide-body aircraft, particularly its Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet. The step was taken amid ongoing safety inspections and operational disruptions in the aftermath of the AI171 crash, which killed 241 people and has been described as the world’s deadliest aviation disaster in a decade.

Flight AI171 was en route from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick when it crashed shortly after takeoff. The accident left only one survivor from among the passengers and also claimed the lives of around 30 people on the ground.

The airline said that inspections on 26 of its 33 Dreamliners (787-8 and 787-9 models) have now been completed and those aircraft are cleared for service. However, additional checks are still scheduled for the remaining Dreamliners as well as its Boeing 777 fleet.

These temporary measures are aimed at ensuring safe and stable operations while minimising disruption to passengers, Air India said.

Passengers affected by the changes are being notified, and the airline has assured that efforts are being made to accommodate them on alternative flights or offer refunds where needed.