After Tragic Crash, Air India Set to Restart Some Global Flights from August 1

After a brief suspension following the tragic June 12 crash in Ahmedabad, Air India will begin restoring some of its international flight services from August 1, the airline said in a statement on Tuesday. A full return to regular operations is expected by October 1, 2025.

Crash Investigation Prompted Safety Pause

The suspension followed the crash of Air India flight AI 171, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, which went down shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad airport, killing all 260 people on board, including the crew. The aircraft crashed into a nearby hostel, prompting the airline to halt several flights and initiate extensive safety checks on its fleet of Boeing 787 aircraft. Air India also had to adjust schedules due to extended flight paths caused by restricted airspace over Pakistan and the Middle East.

Partial Service Resumption in August

The airline confirmed that from August 1 to September 30, it will operate a reduced number of flights between certain cities. For example, the Ahmedabad–London route will shift to three weekly flights to Heathrow, down from five weekly flights to Gatwick.

Services between Delhi and London Heathrow, which were earlier scaled back, have been restored to 24 flights a week starting July 16. Additionally, flights from Delhi to Zurich will increase from four to five per week beginning August 1.

North America and Australia Flights Still Limited

While some routes are recovering, others remain reduced. Flights to major North American destinations — including New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Washington, Toronto, and Vancouver — are still operating at slightly lower frequencies. Routes to Melbourne and Sydney in Australia will also continue with five flights per week instead of the usual seven. Air India has started reaching out to affected passengers, offering alternative bookings or full refunds. “We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience,” the airline stated.