Passengers flying from Melbourne or Sydney to Delhi may need to rethink their travel plans this month. Air India will reduce both routes from seven to five flights a week between 21 June and 15 July, as part of a broader effort to ease operational strain following a deadly crash and ongoing airspace challenges.
The airline, owned by Tata Group, confirmed the cutbacks on Thursday, saying it is undertaking “enhanced pre-flight safety checks” across its widebody fleet. The move follows the crash of AI171—an Ahmedabad to London Gatwick service—which killed all but one of the 242 people on board and left over two dozen dead on the ground.
The temporary schedule change impacts 16 international routes and suspends three entirely. But the reduction on the Australia leg, long favoured by students and families alike, will hit particularly hard during school holidays and peak mid-year travel.
Air India posted on X that the changes are “meant to restore schedule stability and minimise last-minute inconvenience to passengers.” But behind the calm phrasing is a mix of operational pressures. Tensions in the Middle East have led to narrower or closed airspace corridors, pushing up flight times and tightening scheduling buffers.
In addition to Melbourne and Sydney, routes to Europe, North America, and East Asia are also seeing drops in frequency, with Delhi–Toronto slashed nearly in half, and cities like Chicago and Milan facing steep reductions.
Travel agents say they’ve already started receiving rebooking queries, especially from families heading to or returning from Australia. One Melbourne-based agent said, “We’ve had three customers in the last day trying to find alternatives for Delhi–Melbourne. The direct flight was their anchor.”
Meanwhile, the routes suspended until 15 July include Delhi–Nairobi, Amritsar–London (Gatwick), and Goa (Mopa)–London (Gatwick).
Despite the pullback, Air India says it remains committed to international services and that this is a temporary move. “It’s about stabilising after a shock and giving staff and systems the breathing room needed,” one airline industry analyst told Hindustan Times.
The full list of route reductions spans over a dozen cities and reflects a 15% cut in widebody international operations, as declared by the airline earlier this week.
Passengers are advised to check their booking status and contact Air India if affected.
Here’s what changes for travellers:
Routes suspended until 15 July:
Asia-Pacific and Australia routes impacted:
- Delhi–Melbourne and Delhi–Sydney both reduced to 5 flights per week (from 7)
- Delhi–Tokyo Haneda: 6 (from 7)
- Delhi–Seoul Incheon: 3 flights per week (21 June–5 July), increasing to 4 between 6 and 15 July
- Delhi–Nairobi
- Amritsar–London (Gatwick)
- Goa (Mopa)–London (Gatwick)
North America cuts include:
- Delhi–Toronto reduced from 13 to 7 weekly
- Delhi–Vancouver: down to 5 from 7
- Delhi–San Francisco: down to 7 from 10
- Delhi–Chicago: from 7 to 3
- Delhi–Washington: from 5 to 3
Europe sees reduced frequencies on these routes:
- Delhi–London Heathrow: 22 per week (from 24)
- Bengaluru–London Heathrow: 6 (from 7)
- Amritsar & Delhi–Birmingham: 2 (from 3)
- Delhi–Paris: 12 (from 14)
- Delhi–Milan: 4 (from 7)
- Delhi–Copenhagen: 3 (from 5)
- Delhi–Vienna: 3 (from 4)
- Delhi–Amsterdam: 5 (from 7)
Support independent community journalism. Support The Indian Sun.
Follow The Indian Sun on X | Instagram | Facebook
Support Independent Community Journalism
Dear Reader,The Indian Sun exists for one reason: to tell stories that might otherwise go unheard.
We report on local councils, state politics, small businesses and cultural festivals. We focus on the Indian diaspora and the wider multicultural community with care, balance and accountability. We publish in print and online, send regular newsletters and produce video content. We also run media training programs to help community organisations share their own stories.
We operate independently.
Community journalism does not have the backing of large media corporations. Advertising revenue fluctuates. Platform algorithms change. Costs continue to rise. Yet the need for credible, grounded reporting in a multicultural Australia has never been greater.
When you support The Indian Sun, you support:
• Independent reporting on issues affecting migrant communities
• Coverage of local and state decisions that shape daily life
• A platform for small businesses and community groups
• Media training that builds skills within the community
• Journalism accountable to readers
We cannot cover everything, but we work to cover what matters.
If you value thoughtful reporting that reflects Australia’s diversity, we invite you to contribute. Every donation helps us maintain the quality and consistency of our work.
Please consider making a contribution today.
Thank you for your support.
The Indian Sun Team
