Air India Cancels 8 Flights Amid Enhanced Maintenance and Fleet Checks

Photo: Reuters

Air India announced today (June 20, 2025) that it has canceled eight scheduled flights, comprising four international and four domestic routes. The cancellations are attributed to enhanced maintenance checks, technical issues, and regional airspace disruptions in the wake of last week's Ahmedabad Dreamliner crash that claimed 241 lives.

Internationally affected flights include AI906 (Dubai–Chennai), AI308 (Delhi–Melbourne), AI309 (Melbourne–Delhi), and AI2204 (Dubai–Hyderabad). Domestically, AI874 (Pune–Delhi), AI456 (Ahmedabad–Delhi), AI2872 (Hyderabad–Mumbai), and AI571 (Chennai–Mumbai) were impacted 

These cancellations follow earlier disruptions, where up to 83 wide-body international flights were grounded amid enhanced safety inspections, ongoing investigation of the deadly crash, and Middle East airspace closures. India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) ordered fleet-wide inspections of Air India’s Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft on June 13; to date, 26 of 33 have passed checks, with the rest undergoing assessment. Similar reviews have commenced on the airline’s Boeing 777s.

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Additional factors include technical snags and regional airspace curfews. A flight from Delhi to Bali was diverted mid-air due to a volcanic eruption near Bali, while international rerouting has been necessary due to ongoing Pakistani and Middle Eastern airspace restrictions. Affected passengers are being offered full refunds or complimentary rebooking. The airline assured support by providing hotel accommodations, rescheduling assistance, and proactive communication via its ground teams.

A safety expert noted that cancelling Dreamliner flights is expected under current circumstances. With one aircraft lost in the crash and stringent checks ongoing—plus flight path detours and crew duty time limits—the cancellations serve as a precautionary step.

Despite the disruptions, regulators and aviation analysts remain confident this will not derail Air India’s longer-term modernization and expansion plans led by Tata Sons. However, sustained scrutiny of its maintenance protocols and internal coordination is expected in coming months.