PTI: June 20, 2025, Mumbai : Air India on Friday cancelled eight flights, including four on international routes, due to operational reasons, even as the impact of the Ahmedabad plane crash last week is becoming evident with overall bookings dropping nearly 20%.
A London-bound Air India flight, AI-171, carrying 242 passengers and crew members, crashed in Ahmedabad on June 12. All but one passenger onboard the plane died, along with nearly 29 people on the ground, when the aircraft crashed into a medical college complex shortly after take-off.
In a statement on Friday, Air India announced the cancellation of several flights — Dubai-Chennai (AI906), Delhi-Melbourne (AI308), Melbourne-Delhi (AI309), and Dubai-Hyderabad (AI2204).
On domestic routes, Pune-Delhi (AI874), Ahmedabad-Delhi (AI456), Hyderabad-Mumbai (AI2872), and Chennai-Mumbai (AI571) flights were cancelled.
The Delhi-Pune flight was cancelled after the airline, upon its arrival from Delhi, detected a bird hit. Consequently, it was grounded for extensive inspection.
The airline also said it made all arrangements, including accommodation, for the stranded passengers. Refunds on cancellation or complimentary rescheduling were also offered to passengers, the airline said.
According to the tour operators’ body, Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), bookings for Air India flights have declined by around 20% on domestic as well as international routes, while the average fares have dropped by 8–15% in the aftermath of the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crash last week.
Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism & Hospitality (FAITH) General Secretary Rajiv Mehra also said that a decline of up to 20% in bookings has been observed for Air India flights, while fares have turned cheaper by about 10% on certain sectors where there is high competition with other carriers.
An Air India spokesperson did not respond to a query seeking comments from the airline on the decline in bookings.
“Following the unfortunate incident involving Air India, we have observed a temporary decline in bookings, particularly on international sectors,” IATO President Ravi Gosain told PTI.
“While the exact percentage varies by route, our estimates indicate a dip of around 18–22% on international bookings and a 10–12% fall domestically in the immediate aftermath. However, this appears to be a short-term sentiment-driven reaction, as confidence typically stabilises over time,” Gosain said.
Noting that there has been a moderate adjustment in fares across key Air India routes, he added, “On average, ticket prices have reduced by 8–12% on domestic sectors where the airline competes directly with low-cost carriers like IndiGo and Akasa.”
On international routes, especially to Europe and Southeast Asia, fares have seen a drop of 10–15%, depending on route occupancy and competition. “These reductions are a mix of promotional strategies and yield correction due to lowered demand,” Gosain said.
Campbell Wilson, CEO and Managing Director of the Tata-owned Air India, meanwhile, in a message said that around 500 employees of Air India and 17 from other Tata companies are in Ahmedabad to help the families of passengers, crew, and others who lost their lives.
He further said the airline will progressively restore the international flight schedule, which has been reduced by 15% till July 15 on account of additional pre-flight checks of its wide-body fleet and other geopolitical factors.
Wilson also clarified that Air India had senior-level representation at the final rites of the 12 crew members who lost their lives in the crash.
The clarification came amid allegations on social media platforms that there was no Tata Group board member present at the funeral of the crew members.
On the ongoing investigation, Campbell said, “There are many theories, but as the accident is now under official investigation by the AAIB, it is not appropriate for us to comment or speculate.”
“We are providing all information requested by the AAIB and are cooperating completely,” he said, adding, “The final report can take many months, though the AAIB may choose to issue interim updates or reports.”
