Air India reduces flights to Europe for winter season

The maintenance work is expected to keep the aircraft out of service for at least a month, depending on the aircraft. No resumption date has been indicated for the Birmingham service. Discussions are also under way to temporarily suspend the three-times-weekly Amritsar-Birmingham route for the winter season. The withdrawal from Vienna will end the only nonstop air link between India and Austria. The city, however, will continue to serve as a technical stop for select North America-bound flights.

The changes reflect the pressure on international operations from higher jet fuel prices and longer flight times resulting from airspace restrictions. The airline is adjusting capacity across its network to manage costs while maintaining connectivity on priority routes. The additional capacity will provide around 170,000 extra seats annually to the Sydney market, offering passengers more options and strengthening connections between Australia, India, the UK and Europe.

On Thursday, the airline also announced a new four-times-weekly service between Delhi and Osaka, beginning February 2027. Osaka will become Air India's second destination in Japan after Tokyo Haneda, which is served from Delhi and Mumbai.A comment sought from Air India on the above details did not ilicit any response. IndiGo is scaling back European operations, ending its six-aircraft Boeing 787-9 damp-lease arrangement with Norse Atlantic Airways and suspending Manchester flights from August 31.

London Heathrow services will also pause pending Airbus A350-900 induction. Mumbai-Amsterdam flights will continue from October 25, but at three weekly frequencies.