
Air India says will cut wide-body international flights by 15% till mid-July
These include enhanced safety inspections of its aircraft following last Thursday's deadly crash of one of its Boeing 787-8 aircraft, and airspace restrictions in West Asia and night curfew at various European and East Asian airports, the carrier said Wednesday.
A number of Air India's international flights were hit by delays and cancellations over the past few days. The cuts will be implemented by June 20 and will continue at least till the middle of July. The curtailment would effectively add to Air India's reserve aircraft availability 'to take care of any unplanned disruptions'.
'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 wide-body aircraft by 15% for the next few weeks,' it said.
Sukalp Sharma is a Senior Assistant Editor with The Indian Express and writes on a host of subjects and sectors, notably energy and aviation. He has over 13 years of experience in journalism with a body of work spanning areas like politics, development, equity markets, corporates, trade, and economic policy. He considers himself an above-average photographer, which goes well with his love for travel. ... Read More

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


India.com
29 minutes ago
- India.com
Asim Munir's Shadow, Agricultural Battle, And Steel Standoff: 8 Reasons Why India Is Turning Cold On Trump's Trade Deal And Recalibrating China Ties
photoDetails english 2935406 India is becoming less excited about making a quick trade deal with the US. The main problems are disagreements over farm products and taxes on steel and cars. India doesn't want to lower these taxes easily. Also, India is worried because Pakistan's army chief, Asim Munir, recently met US leaders, which makes security concerns bigger. At the same time, India is carefully changing how it deals with China, trying to keep good trade while staying safe. Because of these economic and security issues, India is now taking its time and being careful before agreeing to any big trade deal with the US. Updated:Jul 22, 2025, 08:23 PM IST August 1 Deadline Makes a Deal Unlikely 1 / 8 The US set a deadline to finalize the deal or start new tariffs, but with little compromise from both sides, meeting this deadline seems impossible. Stuck on Tariffs and Trade Taxes 2 / 8 The main problem is that the US wants India to reduce taxes on farm and dairy products, but India refuses to do so to protect its farmers. India Wants US to Remove Tariffs on Steel and Cars 3 / 8 The US set a deadline to finalize the deal or start new tariffs, but with little compromise from both sides, meeting this deadline seems impossible. India Wants to Keep the Right to Retaliate 4 / 8 India insists on keeping the option to add new tariffs on US goods in the future, which worries the US negotiators. Ongoing Talks, But No Serious Progress 5 / 8 Multiple rounds of talks have happened, but neither country has made big compromises, causing a stalemate. Hope for a Bigger Deal Later This Year 6 / 8 Both India and the US still hope to reach a more complete trade agreement by September or October. Possible Impact of New Tariffs Soon 7 / 8 If no deal is reached, the US may impose new taxes on Indian goods, making trade between the two countries more difficult for a while. Asim Munir's Influence on India-US Trade Climate 8 / 8 While not directly related to trade, Pakistan's military chief Asim Munir's hardened stance and regional tensions make India cautious in international deals, indirectly affecting the trade atmosphere.


India.com
29 minutes ago
- India.com
Month after plane crash, Air India seeks Rs 17277890000 from…, Ratan Tata company decides to…
Month after plane crash, Air India seeks Rs 17277890000 from…, Ratan Tata company decides to… After Air India flight AI 171, operated with Boeing 787-8 crashed after takeoff on June 12, the airline is going to buy another fleet of Boeing. By Anirudha Yerunkar Edited by Anirudha Yerunkar Advertisement Air India is in talks to secure a $200 million bank loan through its GIFT City-based subsidiary, AI Fleet Services IFSC Ltd., to purchase a fleet of Boeing 777 aircraft from a US-based leasing company, according to an Economic Times report. Air India To Buy Boeing 777 After persistent supply chain challenges and delivery delays, Air India wants to improve its wide-body fleet, particularly for long-haul India-US routes. The loan will help Air India reduce the capacity gap until its new aircraft orders begin arriving. Advertisement === Media reports citing sources revealed that discussions around the funding, which began earlier this year, had temporarily slowed after the crash of an Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner in Ahmedabad last month, but talks have again resumed. The terms of the loan are still being finalized and could be linked to the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR). Air India is already operating the six Boeing 777 aircraft and now wants to purchase, some of which are 11 to 13 years old, as per data from Flightradar24. These aircraft play a critical role in maintaining service on high-demand transcontinental routes. Advertisement === Air India's Earlier Orders For Boeing Since the Tata Group acquired the airline in January 2022, Air India has placed orders for 570 new aircraft from Airbus and Boeing. To speedup fleet expansion, the airline is also considering acquiring 50 Boeing 737 Max jets that were originally intended for Chinese carriers. Through its GIFT City-registered entity, Air India handles aircraft purchases and leases for both its full-service operations under the Air India brand and budget carrier Air India Express. The proposed loan will support the group's broader goal of scaling up operations and improving global connectivity.


Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
‘Existential issues not just Europe's concern': India counters Western pressure on Russian oil
As Prime Minister Narendra Modi prepares for his upcoming visit to the United Kingdom, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri has pushed back against renewed Western criticism over India's continued imports of Russian oil. Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Misri emphasised that India's energy security remains a fundamental priority and warned against viewing the global energy crisis through a narrow, Eurocentric lens. While acknowledging the gravity of the security crisis in Europe stemming from Russia's war in Ukraine, Misri stressed that other parts of the world are facing their own urgent and potentially existential challenges — many tied to energy affordability and access. "On energy-related issues itself, also, as we have said previously, it is important not to have double standards and to have a clear-eyed perception of what the global situation is insofar as the broader energy market is concerned... We do understand that there is an important and serious security issue that is confronting Europe, but the rest of the world is also there. It is also dealing with issues that are existential for the rest of the world, and I think it's important to keep balance and perspective when talking about these issues," Misri was quoted as saying. He argued for a balanced, globally inclusive perspective on energy policy and warned against double standards in applying sanctions or pressuring energy partners. EU sanctions put India's oil exports at risk His remarks come as the European Union rolls out a fresh round of sanctions targeting Russia's oil revenues. The new restrictions — aimed at curbing Moscow's ability to finance its war effort — include tighter controls on fuels derived from Russian crude, a lower price cap, and new banking penalties. Among the targets is an Indian refinery operating in partnership with Russian energy giant Rosneft, raising concerns about collateral damage to India's energy trade. The EU's crackdown is expected to affect countries like India, Turkey, and the UAE, which process Russian crude and export refined products such as diesel and jet fuel — often to European buyers. Analysts warn that this could pose a direct threat to India's export earnings. According to trade policy think tank GTRI, India's petroleum product exports to the EU have already fallen sharply — from $19.2 billion in FY24 to $15 billion in FY25, a drop of over 27per cent. The EU's new sanctions may further squeeze India's $5 billion in oil-derived exports to the bloc, especially since they now prohibit imports of refined fuel made from Russian crude, even if processed outside Russia. At the same time, India's reliance on Russian oil has grown. In FY2025, India imported over $50 billion worth of crude oil from Russia — making up more than a third of its total oil import bill of $143 billion. U.S. threatens harsh tariffs on Russian oil buyers Meanwhile, Washington has also adopted a tougher stance. US President Donald Trump and several U.S. lawmakers have threatened punitive trade measures against countries like India, China, and Brazil for maintaining energy ties with Moscow. Senator Lindsey Graham, speaking on Fox News, warned that the U.S. would impose steep tariffs on nations buying Russian oil, accusing them of enabling the war through "blood money." Trump has gone a step further, saying the U.S. would levy 100per cent secondary tariffs on any country continuing to import Russian fossil fuels, unless Russian President Vladimir Putin agrees to a peace deal within 50 days. His remarks came during a meeting with NATO officials, signaling that this could become a key foreign policy position in a potential second Trump administration.