Chennai: Air India has significantly reduced and suspended services on several domestic and international routes from Chennai, citing escalating aviation fuel prices and operational challenges, a move that has raised concerns among passengers over declining connectivity from one of South India's busiest airports.
The airline has either cancelled or reduced flights linking Chennai with key destinations including Port Blair, Hyderabad, Thiruvananthapuram, Tiruchirappalli, Coimbatore, Singapore, Dubai, Colombo, Sharjah, Dammam and Kuala Lumpur. Air India said the reductions are temporary and services will be restored once operating conditions improve.
An Air India spokesperson said the airline had been forced to rationalise operations due to the sustained impact of high aviation turbine fuel (ATF) prices on overall operations. Affected passengers are being accommodated on alternative flights, offered complimentary date changes or provided full refunds.
The latest cuts are part of a broader network rationalisation undertaken by the Tata Group-owned carrier. Air India had earlier announced a reduction of up to 22 per cent in domestic flight frequencies between June and August 2026 and also scaled back several international services due to record fuel prices and operational pressures arising from regional geopolitical developments.
Chennai has been among the airports most affected by the reductions. The Chennai–Port Blair sector, once served by multiple daily flights operated by Air India and Air India Express, currently has no services from either airline. Air India Express has also withdrawn its Chennai–Tiruchirappalli operations, while Air India's Chennai–Coimbatore flights have been discontinued. Additional Chennai–Madurai services announced earlier have yet to commence.
International connectivity has also taken a hit. Air India's twice-daily Chennai–Singapore flights have been suspended from June through August as part of the airline's network review. Services to Dubai, Colombo, Sharjah, Dammam and Kuala Lumpur have similarly been reduced or suspended.
The airline maintained that Chennai remains an important market and rejected suggestions that it was neglecting the airport. Officials said the current adjustments were driven purely by economic and operational considerations, particularly the sharp increase in fuel costs that has affected airline profitability across the industry. Air India expects to review and potentially restore services after August, depending on market conditions and demand.
16/06/2026
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