Air India may reinstate some international services after easing tensions in the Middle East opened more airspace and lowered jet fuel prices, NDTV reported on Sunday quoting an internal memo from Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director Campbell Wilson.
The airline is reviewing overseas schedules after cutting operations on some international routes between June and August because of airspace restrictions across parts of the Middle East and high international jet fuel prices, the report said, adding that if current conditions continue, some of those reductions could be reversed.
The move comes as the regional situation has stabilised, allowing airlines greater access to airspace while fuel costs have declined. Air India said the earlier schedule changes were intended to reduce last-minute disruptions for passengers and maintain network stability, while continuing to operate more than 1,200 international flights a month across five continents.
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"The violence in the Middle East has subsided, and although there is no assurance that it won't worsen, the calmer climate has made more airspace available, and fuel prices have considerably decreased. We might be able to reverse some of the timetable cuts we made in recent months if this trend continues," Wilson said in the memo accessed by NDTV.
Wilson also said Air India expects to induct eight more new or refurbished wide-body aircraft into its fleet this year. Another Boeing 787-8 is being sent for retrofitting, while a new Boeing 787-9 is scheduled to arrive in India this weekend.
The airline has also expanded its network by launching four weekly non-stop flights between Mumbai and Tokyo Haneda, in addition to its existing daily Delhi-Haneda service.
Wilson said Air India Express will next month become the first airline to operate a direct international passenger flight from Navi Mumbai International Airport to Abu Dhabi. The carrier will also add a Pune-Amritsar service to its domestic network in August, alongside its first direct flights from Guwahati to Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
Wilson said June marked Air India's strongest operational performance, with overall on-time performance of 86% and domestic on-time performance reaching a record 90%.
"This depends on continuous improvements in aircraft health, systems, focus, and procedures, even though it is somewhat aided by our temporarily shortened schedule (and good weather)," he said.
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