Air India, IndiGo, Air India Express cut flights as fuel costs surge

Air India will cut around 22% of its domestic flights from next month, officials said. The airline had earlier reduced about 27% of its international operations.

The reductions come amid a sharp rise in aviation turbine fuel prices following the US-Israel conflict with Iran, which has increased operating costs for airlines. Indian carriers have also faced longer flying times and higher expenses because of the continued closure of Pakistani airspace to Indian airlines.

Air India, which reported a record annual loss of more than $2 billion in 2025-26, said the latest cuts were part of a temporary network rationalisation exercise.