Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Mar 8: Air India announced on Sunday that it will operate 78 additional flights across nine international routes between March 10 and March 18, 2026, to support passengers amid ongoing disruptions in West Asia.
The extra capacity will cover major destinations including New York (JFK), London (Heathrow), Frankfurt, Paris, Amsterdam, Zurich, Colombo, and Malé, adding a total of 17,660 seats in both directions, according to the airline’s release.
Key routes include Delhi–New York (JFK), Delhi–London (Heathrow), and Mumbai–London (Heathrow), aimed at boosting travel options where alternatives remain limited. Additional flights will also operate from Frankfurt, Paris, Amsterdam, Zurich, Malé, and Colombo to Delhi.
Aircraft deployment for the additional flights includes Boeing 787-8 for European routes, A320neo for Malé and Colombo, and Boeing 777-300ER for New York flights, subject to regulatory approvals.
Air India’s Chief Commercial Officer, Nipun Aggarwal, said: “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. We are confident that passengers in need to travel to destinations in these regions will appreciate the additional options and reliability with Air India.”
Earlier, due to airspace restrictions in parts of West Asia, the airline had also announced extra non-scheduled flights on March 8, including:
• Additional flights between Delhi, Mumbai, and Dubai
• Air India Express operating 30 extra flights connecting India with UAE cities including Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Ras Al Khaimah, and Sharjah
These measures aim to ensure uninterrupted travel options for passengers despite regional constraints