Air India Cancels Approximately 60 Flights on India-US Routes Due to Aircraft Maintenance Issues

Air India, owned by the Tata Group, is cancelling around 60 flights on its India-US routes between November and December. Maintenance issues have led to aircraft unavailability, according to an airline source. The cancellations affect peak travel periods and include flights to major cities like San Francisco and Chicago.

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The airline has not specified which destinations are affected but confirmed that a few flights are cancelled due to delayed aircraft returns from maintenance and supply chain issues. Affected passengers have been notified and offered alternatives on other Air India group services on the same or nearby days.

Flight Cancellations Impact Major Routes

Air India has cancelled flights to and from several US cities, including San Francisco, Washington, Chicago, Newark, and New York. Between November 15 and December 31, the airline will not operate 14 flights on the Delhi-Chicago route, 28 on Delhi-Washington, 12 on Delhi-San Francisco, four on Mumbai-New York, and two on Delhi-Newark.

The delays in aircraft maintenance are due to issues with the Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) operator. Additionally, some wide-body planes are grounded because of technical problems. These factors have contributed to the shortage of aircraft and subsequent flight cancellations.

Customer Compensation Measures

An Air India spokesperson stated that due to the temporary reduction in their operating fleet caused by maintenance delays and supply chain constraints, a small number of flights have been cancelled until the end of December. Customers affected by these changes have been informed and given options for alternative flights or a full refund.

The spokesperson added that Air India regrets any inconvenience caused by these uncontrollable circumstances. Passengers can choose a free change to another date if they prefer not to take alternative flights offered by the airline.

Current Flight Operations

Air India currently operates five weekly flights between Delhi and Washington. The Delhi-JFK New York and Mumbai-JFK routes each have seven weekly flights. Similarly, there are seven weekly flights on the Delhi-Chicago route.

Flights to San Francisco are operated from Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru. From Delhi alone, there are 11 weekly flights, including one daily service. From Mumbai and Bengaluru, four weekly flights are available. Additionally, Air India runs three weekly flights to Newark from both Delhi and Mumbai.

The airline is working to resolve these issues promptly to minimise disruptions for its passengers. They aim to restore normal operations as soon as possible while ensuring customer satisfaction through compensation measures.