Air India slashes domestic flights amid Iran war fuel price spike
NEW DELHI: Air India said today it will temporarily reduce or cut several domestic routes after making similar international cuts due to rising fuel prices from the Middle East war.
Iran’s effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz following US-Israeli strikes on Tehran on Feb 28 has sent aviation fuel prices soaring, raising concerns over carrier profitability and leading to a rise in airline fares.
“In continuation of our previously announced adjustments to select international services between June and August 2026, we have temporarily rationalised operations on certain domestic routes,” Air India said today.
“These adjustments are driven by the sustained impact of high fuel prices on overall operations,” it added.
Air India did say which routes or how many flights would be affected.
The Press Trust of India news agency, citing sources, suggested more than a fifth of the airline’s domestic flights could be impacted.
The airline said that the passengers hit by changes will be rebooked on alternative flights or offered full refunds.
“Air India will continue to monitor demand and operating conditions closely, with a view to restoring frequencies as conditions stabilise,” it said.
Air India announced earlier in May that it was suspending routes to Chicago, Shanghai, Male and Singapore from Indian cities including New Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai between June and August.
It also announced a cut in the frequency of flights to San Francisco, Paris, Milan and Sydney.
Since taking over Air India in 2022, the Tata conglomerate has embarked on an ambitious overhaul, ordering hundreds of aircraft and upgrading its ageing fleet.
The Middle East war has proven to be the latest in a series of setbacks.
The biggest blow to the airline’s image came in June 2025, when Air India Flight 171 – a London-bound Boeing 787‑8 Dreamliner – crashed shortly after take‑off from Ahmedabad, killing all but one of the 242 people on board and 19 people on the ground.
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