Wednesday, July 16, 2025

Air India has issued a phased restoration of its international flight services following the tragic crash of flight AI171 on June 12, 2025. The airline will restart operations on key routes starting with thrice weekly from Ahmedabad to London Heathrow effective from August 1, 2025 onwards. It is part of the airline’s effort to increase safety, while boosting capacity gradually. The decision to change flight schedules is in line with Air India’s conservative approach, ensuring all safety checks are done before safely resuming all flights by October 1, 2025.

Air India Decides to Restore Some of its International Flights After the 12th June Disaster

In a major step, Air India has decided to resume much of its international flights that were reduced following the fateful Flight AI171 accident on June 12. The aircraft, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner heading for London, sadly experienced a flameout immediately after departing Ahmedabad, a crash that killed all 241 passengers and crew except for one. The crash’s aftermath led the airline to downsize operations to check the safety of its planes and re-evaluate processes.

As part of its recovery plan, Air India will launch thrice-weekly service, between Ahmedabad and London Heathrow, from August 1, 2025 to September 30, 2025 This service will replace the airline’s prior five-a-week operation between Ahmedabad and London Gatwick, and represents the airline’s phased response to the pandemic, as it adjusts its network and its fleet according to new operational efficiencies and customer demand, while meeting vital connections for international travel.

This return of service is a part of United’s plan to get back to standard international flight activity after the “safety pause” that ground down its international flying. The delay gave more time to put additional safety measures in place, especially regarding the Boeing 787 fleet. This safety review was started by Air India following the Ahmedabad crash and all the aircraft were subject to rigorous safety checks before they returned to full operation.

The partial resumption of international flights indicates the first stage in the return to normalcy for the full scale network; the airline is targeting complete restoration by 1 October 2025. In the interim, the airline has modified flight frequencies to balance demand for service while prioritizing safety and operational consistency for the flying public.

In continuation of the graded restoration of its international flights, Air India has made the following changes:

Delhi to Paris: The number of flights has been cut to seven per week from 12. However, even as the sun sets for a while, the airline insists that India and France- an important international hub- will continue to be connected.

Delhi to Milan Flights on this route have been trimmed to three a week, from four. The changes underlined the demand-capacity balancing efforts of Air India and its commitment to quality and safety of operations.

Mumbai and Delhi to New York (JFK): Both of these routes have been trimmed to six flights a week, instead of daily service. This change is just a part of the larger effort to operate in a phase of reduced restoration.

“These are temporary adjustments and Air India is geared up to operate full schedule by October 2025.” The airline is in constant review of its fleet and operating model to guarantee a safe and reliable journey for passengers.

While returning flight operations to normal, Air India said it has also turned to conduct a comprehensive inspection of its fleet and the two B787 planes were tested on all safety parameters. The company has collaborated with experts in aviation safety and global regulators to establish further checks and improvements on the planes in commercial service. These measures are in line the carrier’s long-standing focus on passenger safety and service quality.

As the carrier continues to recover its fleet and starts full-fledged international operations, Air India has thanked its passengers for their understanding and support. According to the airline, the resumption of service is a welcome development as the management continues to take steps to restore operations to its key markets across the globe following the impact of COVID-19 on the aviation industry.

Notwithstanding the challenge posed to Air India following the June crash, the airline’s priority is to re-build and increase its global footprint. Recovery isn’t only a matter of getting back to regular flight operations; it’s also a commitment to strengthening the safety protocols that will safeguard passengers and crew. While the full return to service is scheduled for October, the airline’s efforts continue to show its commitment to full operational capability with safety at the forefront and customer satisfaction as a priority.

Following the June 12, crash, Air India began to re-launch a selection of its long-haul flights, beginning with an Ahmedabad To London Heathrow three time per weekly service from August 1, 2025. This is one of the stages of a multi-phased plan to resume full operations by Oct._UNIFORMITY! 1, 2025, with all safety features in place.

Air India’s phased revival will be closely watched by the aviation industry and passengers as well. This turning point of the airline represents a recovery from adversity and the chance to re-set operational benchmarks.We, at Air India, must strive to ensure that an established carrier’s image as a truly global airline is preserved as a bequeath to posterity.