Overview
- Air India, which announced the changes on Wednesday, will scrap about 400 international flights per month from June through August as record jet fuel prices and blocked airspace make many long routes unviable.
- The heaviest reductions hit North America and Europe, including a suspended Delhi–Chicago service and a halved Delhi–Paris schedule, after detours around Iranian and Pakistani airspace drove up fuel burn and crew time.
- The carrier posted a record loss of roughly US$2.8 billion for FY2025/26, disclosed by shareholder Singapore Airlines, which also booked about US$945 million for its share and noted auditors’ impairment warnings on the stake.
- Singapore Airlines reported a 57% drop in full-year net profit and said the fuel spike from the Strait of Hormuz closure will show up more in the year ahead because airlines pay for fuel on a lagged basis.
- Foreign rivals are filling the gap on India-origin routes as their share rose to 58.4%, with Lufthansa and Cathay adding capacity, and IATA’s Willie Walsh warned that ticket prices will rise as airlines pass on higher fuel costs.