Air India to reduce widebody flights till mid-July: Here's what passengers can do
Due to political tensions, night curfews are also in the airspace of many East Asian and European countries.
Due to political tensions, night curfews are also in the airspace of many East Asian and European countries.
Due to political tensions, night curfews are also in the airspace of many East Asian and European countries.
A week after the fatal plane crash of its Boeing 787-8, which killed more than 200 passengers, Air India has decided to reduce its international flights by 15%. The temporary reduction will last until mid-July as the airline struggles with operational and safety issues and Middle East tensions. Following the ongoing safety checks, the carrier has had several disruptions, with around 83 international flights cancelled in the past six days.
The airline's statement said, "Given the compounding circumstances that Air India is facing, to ensure stability of our operations, better efficiency, and to minimise inconvenience to passengers, Air India has decided to reduce its international services on widebody aircraft by 15 per cent for the next few weeks." Due to political tensions, night curfews are also in the airspace of many East Asian and European countries. Air India and Air India Express fly over 1,000 planes daily.
What can passengers do
The airline has announced it will inform passengers of cancellations in advance, help accommodate them on alternate flights, and give them choices to reschedule their travel without extra costs. They can also avail themselves of a full refund if required.
Investigations are on
In the wake of the crash on June 12 in Ahmedabad, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had ordered safety inspections of Air India's Boeing 787-8/9 planes. So far, 26 have been inspected and 7 are left.
(With inputs from PTI)