Amid rising tensions in the Gulf region, Air India Group has made major changes to its flight operations. The airline group, which includes Air India and Air India Express, has confirmed that it is no longer flying over the airspaces of Iran, Iraq, and Israel, and will soon start avoiding parts of the Persian Gulf airspace as well.
In a statement released on Sunday, Air India said it will use alternate routes for flights to places like the UAE, Qatar, Oman, and Kuwait. This decision has been taken as a precaution to ensure the safety of passengers and crew. However, this change will increase the flight duration for many Middle East routes and also affect some flights to Europe and North America.
Some flights cancelled due to tensions and low bookings
Sources quoted by PTI revealed that Air India Express, which operates a large number of flights to the Middle East using smaller aircraft, has cancelled some services due to lower ticket bookings. A low booking rate, known as a lower load factor, indicates that fewer passengers are flying on these routes.
Apart from the tensions in the Gulf, airspace congestion is also causing flight delays and cancellations, sources added. Passengers affected by the cancelled flights are being notified in advance.
So far, Air India Express has not officially commented on the cancellations.
Impact after Ahmedabad crash
According to travel industry experts, bookings for Air India flights have dropped by up to 20% since the tragic plane crash in Ahmedabad on June 12, which killed over 270 people. The drop in demand has also led to a fall in airfares, with ticket prices down by 8-15% on both domestic and international routes.
Safety is top priority, says Air India
In its statement, Air India assured passengers that the airline is working closely with external security advisors and is constantly monitoring the situation. The airline said it is ready to take further action if needed, to make sure its operations remain safe and secure.
Inputs from PTI
In a statement released on Sunday, Air India said it will use alternate routes for flights to places like the UAE, Qatar, Oman, and Kuwait. This decision has been taken as a precaution to ensure the safety of passengers and crew. However, this change will increase the flight duration for many Middle East routes and also affect some flights to Europe and North America.
Some flights cancelled due to tensions and low bookings
Sources quoted by PTI revealed that Air India Express, which operates a large number of flights to the Middle East using smaller aircraft, has cancelled some services due to lower ticket bookings. A low booking rate, known as a lower load factor, indicates that fewer passengers are flying on these routes.
Apart from the tensions in the Gulf, airspace congestion is also causing flight delays and cancellations, sources added. Passengers affected by the cancelled flights are being notified in advance.
So far, Air India Express has not officially commented on the cancellations.
Impact after Ahmedabad crash
According to travel industry experts, bookings for Air India flights have dropped by up to 20% since the tragic plane crash in Ahmedabad on June 12, which killed over 270 people. The drop in demand has also led to a fall in airfares, with ticket prices down by 8-15% on both domestic and international routes.
Safety is top priority, says Air India
In its statement, Air India assured passengers that the airline is working closely with external security advisors and is constantly monitoring the situation. The airline said it is ready to take further action if needed, to make sure its operations remain safe and secure.
Inputs from PTI
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