Air India Cancels Eight Flights Amid Mounting Operational Turmoil

Air India has grounded eight flights — four domestic and four international — citing heightened maintenance demands and unresolved operational discrepancies. The cancellations, issued on Friday, have further strained the airline’s credibility, especially in the wake of the recent Ahmedabad-London Gatwick crash that resulted in 241 fatalities.

The airline, in a brief statement, claimed that alternative arrangements were being made and that full refunds or complimentary rebookings would be extended to affected passengers. However, for many, the announcement came without adequate warning, triggering panic at airports and widespread frustration.

Cancelled International Routes:

AI906 (Dubai to Chennai)

AI308 (Delhi to Melbourne)

AI309 (Melbourne to Delhi)

AI2204 (Dubai to Hyderabad)

Cancelled Domestic Routes:

AI874 (Pune to Delhi)

AI456 (Ahmedabad to Delhi)

AI2872 (Hyderabad to Mumbai)

AI571 (Chennai to Mumbai)

The decision to cancel services follows the Directorate General of Civil Aviation’s (DGCA) directive for intensified inspection of Air India’s Boeing 787 fleet. This move was triggered by the tragic mid-air failure involving a Dreamliner that plummeted shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad earlier this month. The aircraft was en route to the UK with 242 people on board. Only one survived.

Since then, Air India has announced further operational cutbacks, including route suspensions and frequency reductions across 18 international sectors, notably affecting North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific corridors. The revised schedule is expected to last at least until mid-July.

Compounding concerns, a separate incident unfolded on the same day when an IndiGo flight bound for Madurai reported a mid-air technical snag and was forced to return to Chennai. Though the aircraft landed safely, such repeated occurrences across carriers have intensified anxieties around passenger safety and aviation oversight.

While the airline’s attempts at damage control through refund policies and rescheduling options have been acknowledged, many travellers say they feel abandoned. Complaints of poor communication, unresponsive support teams, and mismanagement continue to flood social media platforms.

The broader issue lies not just in temporary disruption but in the long-standing cracks in India’s aviation infrastructure. As one of the country’s flagship carriers, Air India’s ongoing pattern of last-minute cancellations, grounded fleets, and safety concerns is not just a logistical failure — it’s a reputational one. Without swift and transparent rectification, regaining public trust may prove harder than restoring an overburdened flight schedule.

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