Air India cancels Raipur‑Delhi flight, cuts routes over rising fuel costs

Air India will suspend its afternoon Raipur‑Delhi service beginning 1 June 2026, citing higher aviation turbine fuel prices and increased operating expenses. The airline is also reducing frequencies on other regional routes: the Raipur‑Lucknow‑Bhubaneswar flight will operate only four days a week, and the Raipur‑Pune‑Chennai service will run three days a week.

The cuts affect business, government and medical travellers who relied on the midday flight, as well as travel agencies, hotels and related sectors in the region. Passengers on the cancelled service are being offered re‑booking or full refunds, while eight other flights on the Raipur‑Delhi sector remain in operation. Analysts expect limited alternatives and possible fare increases as airlines trim routes that are not commercially viable.

Airlines attribute the reductions to sustained pressure from rising fuel costs and overall operational spending, prompting a review of network profitability across emerging city pairs such as Raipur.