Air India Flight Cancellations: Weather, Maintenance Force Schedule Changes

Air India has announced the cancellation of several international and domestic flights scheduled for Friday, citing increased aircraft checks, adverse weather conditions, and airspace restrictions as key reasons for the disruption. The affected services include flights operating between major cities such as Dubai, Chennai, Delhi, Melbourne, Pune, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, and Mumbai.

In a formal statement, Air India specified that flights AI906 from Dubai to Chennai, AI308 from Delhi to Melbourne, AI309 from Melbourne to Delhi, and AI2204 from Dubai to Hyderabad are among the cancelled international routes. Domestically, flights AI874 from Pune to Delhi, AI456 from Ahmedabad to Delhi, AI-2872 from Hyderabad to Mumbai, and AI571 from Chennai to Mumbai have been scrapped due to operational exigencies. The airline is providing full refunds or complimentary rescheduling and assisting passengers with alternative travel plans.

Air India has expressed regret over the inconvenience caused to passengers and is actively working on arranging alternative flights to ensure minimal disruption to travel plans. Passengers have been advised to verify their flight status online or reach out to customer service for immediate updates. The airline noted ongoing enhanced maintenance checks, airspace restrictions, and poor weather as potential causes for further disruptions.

The statement referred to an earlier announcement about the temporary reduction of services from June 21 to July 15, 2025, on international routes, affected by the decision to conduct voluntary pre-flight safety checks and navigate extended flight paths due to Middle East airspace closures. The measures aim to improve schedule stability and minimize passenger inconvenience.

(With inputs from agencies.)