CHENNAI: Citing high fuel prices, Air India and Air India Express have reduced flight frequencies and cancelled several domestic and international services operating from Chennai airport, causing inconvenience to thousands of passengers.
Several Air India and Air India Express flights connecting Chennai to Port Blair, Hyderabad, Thiruvananthapuram, Tiruchy, Coimbatore, Singapore, Dubai, Colombo, Sharjah, and Dammam have been reduced or suspended.
Despite Chennai being one of the busiest aviation hubs and a key gateway for South India, it has witnessed a gradual decline in direct flight services. Air India has reduced operations on several routes and completely withdrawn services in some.
The impact has been especially felt on the Chennai-Port Blair sector. Three years ago, Air India operated four daily services on the route, which were later transferred to Air India Express before being completely withdrawn. As a result, the number of flights on the route has dropped considerably, affecting tourists. Similarly, Air India Express services between Chennai and Tiruchy, as well as Air India flights to Coimbatore, were discontinued without replacement.
Passengers travelling to Madurai, Salem, Thoothukudi, Hyderabad, Kochi, and Thiruvananthapuram have also reported difficulties in securing tickets due to reduced frequencies.
International passengers also have been affected, with Air India scaling down operations to Singapore, Dubai, Colombo, Dammam, Sharjah, and Kuala Lumpur. Some services have been completely cancelled, forcing passengers to rely on alternative carriers at higher fares. Passengers have alleged that Chennai airport has been receiving less priority in Air India's network planning, while several routes have been shifted to Air India Express, which itself has faced criticism over delays and last-minute cancellations.
An Air India official said the airline had already announced adjustments to select international services between June and August, and had temporarily rationalised operations on certain domestic routes during this period. These adjustments were taken due to the sustained impact of high fuel prices on overall operations, the official said, adding that it would continue to monitor demand and operating conditions closely, with a view to restoring frequencies as conditions stabilise.
The airline added that affected passengers are being offered seats on alternative flights, complimentary date changes or full refunds, wherever applicable, and the current reductions are expected to continue until August, after which flight frequencies may be restored based on operational and market conditions.