Air India Plans to Restore International Flights as Middle East Tensions Ease

Air India may resume several international routes that were curtailed earlier due to the Middle East conflict, according to a memo from Chief Executive Officer Campbell Wilson. The airline is reviewing its recent schedule reductions, noting that the easing of West Asian tensions and a drop in jet‑fuel prices have opened more airspace and lowered operating costs. Wilson said, “If fuel prices moderate, we can reduce network reductions,” and added that the calmer climate could allow the airline to reverse timetable cuts if the trend continues.

Air India operates more than 1,200 international flights a month across five continents. The carrier expects to add eight new or refurbished wide‑body aircraft this year, including a Boeing 787‑8 undergoing retrofitting and a new Boeing 787‑9 arriving soon. New services include four weekly non‑stop flights between Mumbai and Tokyo Haneda, an existing daily Delhi‑Tokyo flight, and upcoming Air India Express flights from Navi Mumbai to Abu Dhabi. Domestic expansions feature a Pune‑Amritsar route and the first direct flights from Guwahati to Dubai and Abu Dhabi. In June, the airline recorded its strongest performance, with an 86 % overall on‑time rate and a 90 % domestic on‑time rate.