Air India group active fleet shrinks while rivals expand summer capacity

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.New Delhi: Air India is cutting domestic and international capacity this summer, flying up to 5% fewer flights on domestic routes and nearly 40% less on international corridors compared with a year ago, as a depleted fleet, surging jet fuel costs, and war-related airspace closures squeeze the Tata Group carrier.The airline and its low-cost subsidiary Air India Express together offered roughly 9.24 million domestic seats in April and May, down from 9.71 million a year ago, even as India's largest carrier, IndiGo, expanded domestic capacity 6% to 23.04 million seats and newcomer Akasa Air grew 9% to 1.63 million seats, according to data from aviation analytics firm OAG reviewed by Mint. Seats are a measure of capacity for airlines.The move reflects pressures that analysts say have pushed Air India's network strategy into what one expert calls ‘survival mode’.

Domestic jet fuel prices surged by over 94% between February and May, and airspace over Pakistan has been shut since April 2025. Subsequent closures over Iran, Iraq, and West Asia due to the war have forced longer flight times and steeper operating costs on international routes.Aggravating the issue is a shrinking fleet: the Air India group operated around 258 aircraft in April–May, down 11% from a year ago, with Air India alone having some 21 planes grounded, double last year's figure, and Air India Express sitting with nearly 12 aircraft idle, almost three times the year-ago number, according to Gagan Dixit, senior vice president-Aviation, Oil and Gas, at Elara Capital.Air India, Air India Express, IndiGo and Akasa Air are yet to respond to a questionnaire from Mint.The FY26 annual report of Singapore Airlines, which has a 25.1%