Air India and IndiGo are gradually restoring international flight capacity after cutting services during the summer amid high fuel prices, longer flight times and a difficult operating environment linked to the West Asia conflict.

Both airlines had described the reductions as temporary. Air India announced in May that it would rationalise selected international services between June and August, citing record-high jet fuel prices and continued airspace restrictions. IndiGo subsequently announced temporary suspensions on six international destinations for the July-September period, while retaining more than 1,800 weekly international flights.

The recovery is now visible across several markets. However, the restoration is not uniform, with some routes undergoing structural changes rather than simply returning to their earlier schedules.

Air India Rebuilds North America

Air India’s North American network is seeing substantial restoration after the summer cuts.

The airline continues to keep its Delhi-Chicago service suspended, while services to other major US and Canadian destinations have been strengthened. Air India has restored higher-frequency operations to San Francisco and Vancouver, while Toronto has gained additional capacity, including the deployment of Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners. The airline has also expanded its Canadian network with a new Mumbai-Toronto service for the winter season.

Air India had originally reduced San Francisco, Toronto and Vancouver services as part of its May network rationalisation. The airline's official announcement had also listed Delhi-Chicago for temporary suspension.

The changes show that Air India is prioritising major long-haul markets even while keeping selected routes under review.

Europe Sees Gradual Recovery

European operations are also moving closer to normal levels.

Air India had reduced services to Paris, Copenhagen, Milan, Vienna, Zurich and Rome during the summer. Paris remains below its earlier frequency, while several other European routes have seen services restored or increased for the winter schedule.

The airline's May plan had reduced Delhi-Paris from 14 flights a week to seven, while Copenhagen, Milan, Vienna, Zurich and Rome were also cut temporarily.

Air India's broader international network includes major European gateways such as Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Milan, Paris, Rome, Vienna and Zurich.

Australia Capacity Expands

Australia has emerged as another important area of expansion for Air India.

The airline had reduced Delhi-Melbourne and Delhi-Sydney services during the summer. It has since moved to restore capacity, with Melbourne receiving particular attention through additional frequency and larger aircraft.

Air India has also begun deploying Boeing 777-300ER aircraft with upgraded cabins on Melbourne services, underlining the importance of the Australian market to its long-haul strategy.

The move comes as competition in the India-Australia market remains strong, with other carriers also expanding connectivity between major Indian and Australian cities.

Asia Routes Come Back

Air India's restoration is particularly visible across East and Southeast Asia.

The airline had temporarily suspended Delhi-Shanghai and Chennai-Singapore services and reduced flights on routes including Delhi-Singapore, Mumbai-Singapore, Delhi-Bangkok, Mumbai-Bangkok, Delhi-Kuala Lumpur and Delhi-Ho Chi Minh City.

Several of those services are now returning or seeing increased frequencies.

Air India's current booking system also shows scheduled Delhi-Ho Chi Minh City services, indicating that the Vietnamese city has not been abandoned by the Air India group.

Chennai-Singapore services have been shifted to subsidiary Air India Express, allowing the group to maintain connectivity while adjusting which airline operates the route.

IndiGo Ends Some Widebody Flying

IndiGo's recovery is more complicated because the airline is simultaneously reshaping its long-haul strategy.

The carrier temporarily suspended six international destinations — Langkawi, Krabi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Siem Reap — during the July-September period. IndiGo said bookings for the affected services would resume from October 1, subject to market conditions.

However, IndiGo has also moved away from part of its wet-leased Boeing 787-9 widebody operation.

The airline announced that Manchester flights would be discontinued from August 31 because of continuing airspace constraints, longer flight times and the difficult cost environment. One of its six wet-leased 787-9 aircraft was consequently planned for return to Norse Atlantic Airways.

Ho Chi Minh City Remains Key Gap

The most significant difference between the two airlines is their approach to Ho Chi Minh City.

IndiGo had listed Ho Chi Minh City among the six destinations temporarily suspended through September 30.

Air India, by contrast, continues to sell Delhi-Ho Chi Minh City services and has restored the route's role in its international network.

The contrasting decisions illustrate how India's two largest airlines are responding differently to the same cost and geopolitical pressures.

International Expansion Resumes

The broader trend nevertheless points towards renewed international expansion by Indian carriers.

Air India continues to rebuild its long-haul network while adding new aircraft and upgrading existing services. IndiGo is taking a more measured approach, relying heavily on its narrowbody fleet while preparing for a much larger future widebody operation.

IndiGo has 60 Airbus A350 aircraft on order, with deliveries expected to begin in the latter part of the decade. That gives the airline a potential pathway to expand long-haul flying without relying on the same wet-lease model used during its initial international widebody push.

For passengers, the restoration of services should gradually improve nonstop connectivity from India. For the airlines, however, the bigger test will be whether fuel prices, airspace conditions and international demand remain favourable enough to make the restored schedules commercially sustainable.

The summer cuts may therefore prove to have been more than a temporary response to a difficult operating environment. They have also accelerated a reshaping of the international strategies of both Air India and IndiGo.