Air India has decided to suspend its Chennai-Singapore service until August, dealing a significant blow to one of the busiest international routes from the city. This move is part of a broader rationalisation of the airline's overseas network, driven by operational and commercial pressures.
Reasons for the suspension
The Tata Group-owned carrier announced a series of cuts and suspensions across international routes between June and August 2026. The decision is attributed to continued airspace restrictions in certain regions and record-high jet fuel prices, which have severely impacted long-haul and international operations.
Impact on South India
The suspension of the Chennai-Singapore route is one of the most significant for South India. This sector caters heavily to leisure travellers, business passengers, students, and transit flyers connecting to Southeast Asia, Australia, and other destinations. Air India currently operates two direct flights to Singapore from Chennai and 14 connecting flights via Mumbai and New Delhi. IndiGo Airlines runs three direct flights, while international carriers like Singapore Airlines and Scoot Airways also offer direct services between Chennai and Singapore.
Industry reactions
A Sankar, president of the Indian Air Passengers' Association, expressed concern that the move would encourage other carriers to raise ticket fares significantly, making flying to Singapore unaffordable. He criticised the airline's decision despite the union government releasing Rs 5,000 crore in emergency credit, saying it shows their inability to manage the crisis. Sankar highlighted that the Chennai-Singapore sector is one of the busiest, with people from all walks of life travelling for business, work, and leisure.
Mohan Chandramouli, a retired official of the government-owned Air India, noted that the loss due to non-operational flights would be monumental, exacerbating the carrier's crisis.
Other affected routes
Several other routes in Southeast Asia and the SAARC region have also been affected. Air India has suspended Delhi-Shanghai, Mumbai-Dhaka, and Delhi-Malé services through August, while reducing frequencies to Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Kathmandu, Colombo, and Dhaka.
The impact extends to Europe, North America, and Australia. Air India has temporarily suspended the Delhi-Chicago route and reduced frequencies to San Francisco, Toronto, Vancouver, Paris, Copenhagen, Milan, Zurich, Rome, Melbourne, and Sydney, among others.
Continued operations and passenger assistance
Despite the temporary cuts, Air India stated that it will continue operating more than 1,200 international flights every month across five continents, including 158 weekly flights to the Far East, Southeast Asia, and SAARC destinations. The airline assured affected passengers that they would be offered alternative flights, where feasible, along with options for free date changes or full refunds. Air India added that it is working with regulators and airport authorities to restore full capacity once operating conditions improve.
