Air India, AI Express, IndiGo to slash 250 domestic flights a day

NEW DELHI: Air travellers should brace for higher domestic fares and fewer flights this summer.

Air India, AI Express and IndiGo will together remove about 250 domestic flights per day from June to August as operating costs spiral on rising jet fuel prices and a weakening rupee amid slowing demand.

Airlines say discretionary travel is among the first items to be curtailed when householders and business units try to make ends meet when everything costs more.

After suspending 145 weekly international flights, loss-making Air India will now slash its domestic flights by about 22% this summer due to rising jet fuel prices.

The airline reported a loss of about Rs 25,000 crore last fiscal and is pulling out all stops to cut costs at a time when operating expenditure has soared. AI operates around 4,400 weekly flights. Of them, about 3,600 are domestic and 800 international. Roughly 800 weekly domestic flights may be cut now.

IndiGo is also temporarily suspending 7-10% of its domestic flights this summer but says there are seasonal cuts, and not part of any cost-cutting. The airline operates about 2,200 flights daily.

An AI spokesperson said: "In continuation of our... adjustments to select international services between June and Aug 2026, we have temporarily rationalised operations on certain domestic routes during the same period, with a reduction in frequencies on select routes. These adjustments are driven by the sustained impact of high fuel prices on operations."

"Air India will continue to monitor demand and operating conditions closely, with a view to restoring frequencies as conditions stabilise. Passengers impacted by these changes will be proactively assisted with re-accommodation on alternative flights, complimentary date changes, or full refunds, as applicable," the spokesperson said.

Earlier this month, AI had decided to suspend an additional 145 weekly flights between June and Aug. These new cuts, on top of almost 100 daily flights being suspended, will mean even higher fares on the truncated supply this summer as big Gulf carriers are also operating at reduced capacity.
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