Air India has announced sweeping temporary cancellations of both domestic and international flights in the aftermath of the June 12 Ahmedabad plane crash that claimed 240 lives.
The decision, rooted in enhanced safety checks and operational evaluations, will affect travel schedules from June 21 to July 15, 2025.
Air India has cancelled several international and domestic flights.
The affected international flights include:
– From Dubai to Chennai
– From Delhi to Melbourne
– From Melbourne to Delhi
– From Dubai to Hyderabad
The domestic flights that have also been cancelled are:
– From Pune to Delhi
– From Ahmedabad to Delhi
– AI-2872 from Hyderabad to Mumbai
– From Chennai to Mumbai
This decision was reportedly made by Air India due to enhanced maintenance and operational reasons.
In addition, a private carrier bound for Madurai, carrying 68 passengers, experienced a technical issue mid-air on Friday. After flying for about half an hour, the pilot detected the problem and requested permission to return to Chennai. The aircraft landed safely.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had earlier issued new safety directives following the Ahmedabad crash of flight AI171, prompting the airline to enhance its pre-flight inspection protocols and ground several aircraft for urgent maintenance.
Air India confirmed that Boeing 787 and 777 operations are being curtailed to accommodate these adjustments. Notable international routes experiencing service reductions include Delhi–Toronto (from 13 to 7 weekly flights) and Delhi–San Francisco (from 10 to 7 weekly). Routes like Delhi–Paris, Delhi–Milan, and Amritsar–London (Gatwick) are also affected.
A spokesperson for the airline stated, “These changes aim to restore schedule stability and reinforce our commitment to passenger safety. Normal operations are expected to resume post-July 15, depending on evolving conditions.”
In a related incident, a private carrier en route to Madurai was forced to return to Chennai mid-flight on Friday due to a technical snag. Fortunately, all 68 passengers landed safely.
As Air India weathers this turbulent period, affected passengers are advised to check flight status regularly and make alternate arrangements where necessary.
