Air India to Operate 78 Additional Flights on Key International Routes

New Delhi, March 2026 : Air India announced on Sunday that it will operate 78 additional flights on nine international routes between March 10 and March 18, 2026, to help passengers affected by the ongoing situation in parts of West Asia. The move aims to increase travel options and ensure smoother connectivity for travellers during a period when several air routes remain restricted.

According to the airline, the additional flights will add around 17,660 seats across the selected routes in both directions. The extra capacity will primarily support travel between India and major global destinations, including New York (JFK), London (Heathrow), Frankfurt, Paris, Amsterdam, Zurich, Colombo and Malé.

The airline said that the extra flights will help address the growing demand for travel, especially as passengers face limited options due to airspace restrictions in parts of West Asia. Some of the additional services will operate on key routes such as Delhi–New York (JFK), Delhi–London (Heathrow), and Mumbai–London (Heathrow). These routes are among the busiest international connections for Indian travellers.

In addition to these, extra flights will also operate from Frankfurt, Paris, Amsterdam, Zurich, Malé and Colombo to Delhi to support passenger movement to and from India.

Air India said that the additional European flights will be operated using its Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft. Meanwhile, services to Malé and Colombo will be operated with Airbus A320neo aircraft. The flights on the Delhi–New York (JFK) route will be operated using the Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, subject to the necessary regulatory approvals.

Commenting on the decision, Air India’s Chief Commercial Officer Nipun Aggarwal said that the airline remains committed to maintaining reliable international connectivity despite operational challenges.

“Despite the odds, Air India continues to maintain its scheduled services to Europe and North America, sustaining connectivity to several international gateways using alternative routings that are assessed as safe for operations,” Aggarwal said.

He added that the airline expects passengers travelling to these regions to benefit from the increased availability of seats and the reliability of Air India’s services.

Earlier, the airline had also announced additional non-scheduled flights due to the continuing airspace restrictions in other parts of West Asia. On March 8, Air India operated extra flights between Delhi, Mumbai and Dubai.

Meanwhile, Air India Express will operate around 30 additional flights between India and cities in the United Arab Emirates, including Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Ras Al Khaimah and Sharjah, to support passengers during this period.