Air India suspends direct Dhaka flights

Air India has announced a major restructuring of its international flight network, including the temporary suspension of its direct Delhi-Dhaka service, as rising jet fuel prices, higher operating costs on long-haul routes, and airspace restrictions continue to pressure global aviation operations.

The state-owned carrier said the changes, effective from June to August this year, are aimed at ensuring “network stability” and reducing last-minute cancellations and passenger inconvenience during the peak summer travel season.
While several routes have been reduced or temporarily suspended, Air India confirmed it will continue operating more than 1,200 international flights per month across five continents.

The airline said it remains committed to maintaining global connectivity, but acknowledged that operational costs have surged significantly due to record-high aviation turbine fuel prices and longer flight paths caused by airspace restrictions in parts of West Asia and Eastern Europe.

Dhaka route affected

Among the most notable changes, Air India has reduced its Delhi-Dhaka direct service to four flights per week, while temporarily suspending the Mumbai-Dhaka route.

The decision is expected to affect passengers travelling between Bangladesh and India, particularly business travellers and transit passengers relying on Air India’s wider international network.

Wider global cuts

The restructuring includes significant adjustments across North America, Europe, Australia and Southeast Asia.
In North America, the Delhi–Chicago route has been fully suspended, while flights on Delhi-San Francisco have been reduced from 10 to 7 per week until August. Delhi-Toronto services will also be cut by half before returning to daily operations in August. Delhi-Vancouver has been reduced from daily flights to five per week.

In Europe, Delhi-Paris services have been cut from 14 to 7 weekly flights, while frequency reductions have also been applied to Copenhagen, Milan, Vienna, Zurich and Rome.

Australia routes will also see reductions, with Delhi-Sydney and Delhi-Melbourne services cut from daily operations to four flights per week.
In Southeast Asia, several routes including Delhi-Shanghai and Chennai–Singapore have been suspended, while frequencies to Singapore, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City have also been reduced.

South Asia network changes

Air India has also made major adjustments across the South Asian region. Delhi-Kathmandu services will be reduced, while Colombo and Malé routes have also seen cuts, with the Malé service suspended until August due to maintenance work.

Passenger support measures

The airline said affected passengers will be offered rebooking options on alternative flights, free date changes under specific conditions, or full refunds where applicable.

Air India also advised passengers to check updated flight schedules before travel over the next three months, as further adjustments may be required depending on operational conditions.