Swapna Kumbar , Bengaluru - Air India will cut nearly 100 domestic and international flights through July as soaring jet fuel prices and West Asia airspace restrictions linked to the Iran conflict render many routes unprofitable, CEO Campbell Wilson announced to staff. The loss making carrier, facing ₹22,000 crore FY26 deficits, already trimmed April May schedules and now extends reductions to Europe, North America, Australia, and Singapore operations.

Wilson cited massive aviation turbine fuel (ATF) hikes combined with forced detours around Iranian/Pakistani airspace, burning 20-30% more fuel on longer paths to Europe and beyond. Operating ~1,100 daily flights, Air India targets unviable long haul routes while maintaining core domestic connectivity. The Tata Group airline hopes Middle East stabilization reopens the Strait of Hormuz, restoring efficient routing. Wilson, soon departing as MD/CEO, called conditions extremely challenging with no choice but further schedule trims. This follows Vistara merger synergies but underscores aviation's vulnerability to geopolitical shocks, with global carriers rerouting and airlines like Lufthansa posting record fuel losses.

Air India's flight cuts highlight how Iran war fallout cripples global aviation economics, forcing capacity reductions that hit passengers and jobs. CEO Wilson's pragmatic response prioritizes survival amid ₹22,000 crore losses, but prolonged Hormuz tensions threaten Tata's ambitious aviation turnaround.