Air India Cuts More Flights: Check Affected Routes, Refund Process
Air India Cuts More Flights: Check Affected Routes, Refund Process
Air India trims narrow-body operations by 5% after June 12 Ahmedabad crash; flight suspensions, rescheduling and refunds underway.
Air India has announced temporary cuts to its flight schedule in the wake of its deadliest aviation disaster in decades. The airline will reduce flight frequency on 19 domestic routes and suspend operations on three others two international and one domestic amounting to nearly five per cent of its total narrow-body operations.
The move comes as the national carrier copes with the fallout from the June 12 crash of Flight AI-171 from Ahmedabad to London. The tragedy claimed 274 lives 241 passengers, one crew member, and 33 people on the ground after the aircraft crashed into a medical hostel in Ahmedabad’s Meghani Nagar shortly after takeoff.
Which Air India Routes Are Affected?
The airline stated it is making “temporary cuts of less than five per cent to its overall narrow-body network” to stabilise operations and avoid last-minute cancellations. These changes are expected to remain in place until at least July 15.
Reduced Domestic Route Frequencies:
- Bengaluru–Chandigarh: 14 to 7 flights/week
- Delhi–Bengaluru: 116 to 113/week
- Delhi–Mumbai: 176 to 165/week
- Delhi–Kolkata: 70 to 63/week
- Delhi–Coimbatore: 13 to 12/week
- Delhi–Goa (Dabolim): 14 to 7/week
- Delhi–Goa (Mopa): 14 to 7/week
- Delhi–Hyderabad: 84 to 76/week
- Delhi–Indore: 21 to 14/week
- Delhi–Lucknow: 28 to 21/week
- Delhi–Pune: 59 to 54/week
- Mumbai–Ahmedabad: 41 to 37/week
- Mumbai–Bengaluru: 91 to 84/week
- Mumbai–Kolkata: 42 to 30/week
- Mumbai–Coimbatore: 21 to 16/week
- Mumbai–Kochi: 40 to 34/week
- Mumbai–Goa (Dabolim): 34 to 29/week
- Mumbai–Hyderabad: 63 to 59/week
- Mumbai–Varanasi: 12 to 7/week
Suspended Routes:
- Bengaluru–Singapore (AI2392/2393)
- Pune–Singapore (AI2111/2110)
- Mumbai–Bagdogra (AI551/552)
Despite these reductions, Air India continues to operate nearly 600 daily flights across 120 domestic and short-haul international routes.
Why the Cuts?
The cuts are part of a stabilisation strategy following the crash of a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner in Ahmedabad. According to officials, the plane hit a hostel building on the campus of BJ Medical College within minutes of takeoff.
Ravi Gosain, President of the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), stated that bookings on Air India’s domestic network have dropped by nearly 20%, and airfares have dipped by 8–15% since the crash.
What to Do if Your Air India Flight is Cancelled?
Air India is proactively contacting affected passengers and offering multiple options:
- Free rescheduling
- Full refund
- Alternate flights
The revised schedule is available on the Air India website, mobile app, and customer care channels. The airline has assured passengers that it is working to restore full operations while keeping safety a top priority.
To check your refund status:
- Visit: Refund Portal
- Click on “Status Check on Pending Refund”
- Fill in the required details and submit
