The carrier said it is suspending some routes while reducing the frequency of others until at least mid-July.
An Air India Airbus A321neo (Photo: Shutterstock | BoeingMan777)
Just days after slashing and scaling back a slew of international routes flown by Boeing 787s and 777s, Air India announced it is making cuts to its overall narrowbody network as it aims for “operational stability” in the wake of a Dreamliner crash that killed at least 270 people.
The changes, which amount to a less than 5% cut to the carrier’s narrowbody network, will remain in place until at least July 15.
“These reductions are aimed at strengthening Air India’s network-wide operational stability and minimising last-minute inconvenience to passengers,” the airline said in a social media post. “Air India apologises to the passengers affected by these curtailments and is proactively contacting affected passengers to offer re-accommodation on alternative flights, complimentary rescheduling, or full refunds as per their preference.”
Three routes will be suspended completely until July 15: Bengaluru, India, to Singapore; Pune, India, to Singapore; and Mumbai to Bagdogra, India. All three are currently flown seven times a week.
Nineteen other routes will see a reduction in frequency. This includes service between Delhi and Mumbai (176 times weekly to 165 times weekly); Delhi and Kolkata (70 times weekly to 63 times weekly); Delhi and Hyderabad, India (84 times weekly to 76 times weekly); Mumbai and Kolkata (42 times weekly to 30 times weekly); and Mumbai and Goa, India (34 times weekly to 29 times weekly).
Last week, Air India announced cuts to its long-haul network, targeting flights using the 787 and 777. Because the aircraft are undergoing increased inspections, their availability for service has been reduced. Those cuts will also remain in place until at least July 15.
Air India and India’s national civil aviation authority are investigating the cause of the June 12 Dreamliner crash with the assistance of experts from the U.S. and the U.K. All but one of the 242 people on board the flight, which was bound for London Gatwick, were killed when the 787 lost altitude and hit the campus of a medical college in Ahmedabad in western India. Dozens of people on the ground were also killed.
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