Air India Suspends Delhi-Singapore, Chicago Flights Amid Fuel Cost Surge

India’s second-largest airline operator, Air India, has started cutting down its overseas flights as high jet fuel prices are making operations on international routes unviable.

The airline has reduced the number of flights on overseas routes for three months starting in June.

While most routes will see reduced flight frequency, flights from New Delhi to some international destinations have been suspended completely.

Chicago, Newark, Singapore, and Shanghai are among the destinations facing complete suspension of flights from New Delhi, which is Air India’s main hub.

Frequencies to destinations such as San Francisco, Paris, and Toronto have also been reduced by the airline.

Around 100 flights per day have been reduced by the company. Air India operates around 1,100 flights daily on domestic and international routes.

The unprecedented decision by the company comes as airlines around the world face elevated jet fuel prices, leading to reduced margins and losses on some routes.

Air India’s decision came amid the latest hike in aviation turbine fuel prices by more than 5 per cent. This is the second consecutive month that jet fuel prices have increased.

In Delhi, prices have increased by $76.55 per kilolitre to $1,511.86 per kilolitre.

However, domestic airline companies have been shielded from the latest increase in prices.

Last month, jet fuel prices more than doubled, but domestic airlines were partially protected by the government from the steep hike.

Only 25 per cent of the total price increase was passed on to Indian airline operators, while international carriers had to bear the full burden.

This was part of several measures taken by the government to minimise the impact of the fuel crisis on the public.

Air India’s decision to cut flights came days after a letter written by the Federation of Indian Airlines to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, highlighting the operational challenges faced by airlines because of unprecedented fuel costs.