Air India has announced plans to significantly scale back its international schedule in the coming weeks, citing geopolitical tensions, night curfews, and ongoing safety inspections. The airline will cancel roughly 15% of its wide-body, international flights between June 18 and June 20, 2025, for travel through mid-July 2025.
The decision comes after a tragic accident involving an Air India Boeing 787 last week, which has left the cause of the crash unknown. Regulators have ordered inspections on the airline’s Dreamliner fleet, and Air India will also undertake enhanced safety checks on its Boeing 777 fleet.
The airline claims the cuts are necessary to ensure operational stability, better efficiency, and minimize inconvenience to passengers. The schedule updates will add to the airline’s reserve aircraft availability to handle any unplanned disruptions.
India’s aviation regulator has found no major safety concerns in the Dreamliner fleet but flagged recurring maintenance issues. Investigators suggest that the flaps and other control surfaces were correctly configured for takeoff, indicating that the flight crew followed standard procedures.
Air India’s decision to reduce capacity is seen as a precautionary measure, following the recent accident and ongoing challenges with night curfews and mechanical issues. The airline has promised to cooperate with regulatory authorities to ensure passenger safety and confidence in its services.
Source: https://onemileatatime.com/news/air-india-cancels-flights