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Air India’s global flights trimmed by over 500 till July amid high ATF prices, airspace curbs
- IBJ Bureau
- May 07, 2026
Air India’s global flights trimmed by over 500 till July amid high ATF prices, airspace curbs
Air India has reduced its international schedule by more than 500 flights per month.
The reduction is driven by a “volatile cocktail” of soaring fuel costs and airspace restrictions, the airline has said.
Cost aviation turbine fuel (ATF) has skyrocketed, with global jet fuel prices nearly doubling since February 2026.
Fuel accounts for up to 60 per cent of total operating expenses for Indian carriers, compared to the usual 30 to 40 per cent for their global counterparts, thanks to high taxes.
Besides, ongoing conflict in West Asia has led to closure of key flight corridors.
With some air corridors in West Asia shut, aircraft are forced to take longer, diverted routes, adding up to two extra hours to journey.
This results in significantly higher fuel burn and unviable operating costs.
The Air India Group is estimated to have incurred losses exceeding Rs 22,000 crore for the financial year ended March 31, 2026.
The reductions are primarily focused on long- and ultra-long-haul routes, where fuel consumption is the highest.
Routes to the US, such as Newark, New York and San Francisco and Toronto in Canada have seen the steepest cuts.
Frequencies to Paris, Milan and Zurich have been reduced by 15 to 20 per cent.
The schedule trims have been active for April and May and are now officially extended through July 2026.
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