Air India adds 78 extra flights to Europe, New York amid West Asia travel disruptions, Jeddah-Muscat flight updates and more

Air India, on their official handle on X (@airindia, 4:02pm, March 8, 2026) announced plans to deploy additional flight capacity on several international routes in response to the continued surge in demand for reliable travel options amid the ongoing situation in West Asia. The airline said the move aims to provide passengers with more connectivity as travel options remain limited on several routes.

The official post read, “To support passengers amid the ongoing situation in West Asia, Air India will operate 78 additional flights on 9 routes between 10 and 18 March. We’re deploying extra capacity to New York (JFK), London (Heathrow), Frankfurt, Paris, Amsterdam, Zurich, Colombo, and Malé.”

Between March 10 and March 18, 2026, the airline will operate 78 additional flights across nine routes linking India with major destinations in Europe, North America, and neighbouring countries. The temporary capacity expansion is expected to help travellers facing difficulties securing flights during the current period of constrained connectivity.

The official press release reads, "In response to sustained high demand for reliable travel options amid the ongoing situation in West Asia, Air India today announced it will deploy additional capacity to five key gateways in Europe as well as to New York (JFK)1 over the next few days, supported by additional services to the Maldives and Sri Lanka. Between 10 and 18 March 2026, Air India will operate 78 additional flights on the following routes, thus boosting much-needed capacity when travel options for passengers remain constrained:

1. Delhi-New York (JFK)1

2. Delhi-London (Heathrow)

3. Mumbai-London (Heathrow)

4. Delhi-Frankfurt

5. Delhi-Paris (CDG)

6. Delhi-Amsterdam

7. Delhi-Zurich

8. Delhi-Malé

9. Delhi-Colombo

Together, these flights add 17,660 seats on nine routes in both directions. The additional flights on the European routes will operate with B787-8 and those to Malé and Colombo will be operated with A320neo aircraft. The flights to New York (JFK) are subject to the requisite regulatory approvals and would operate with Air India’s B777-300ER aircraft.”

The additional services will connect New York City, London, Frankfurt, Paris, Amsterdam, Zurich, Malé, and Colombo with departures primarily from Delhi and Mumbai.

According to the airline, the additional flights will add 17,660 seats across the nine routes in both directions. The expanded schedule includes flights on the Delhi–New York (JFK) route, although those services remain subject to regulatory approvals.

Flights to Jeddah and Muscat

Air India, at 10:57 pm, March 8, 2026, also announced, “Air India and Air India Express will together operate 24 scheduled flights to Jeddah and Muscat on 9 March 2026. To support passengers stranded in the region, the two carriers will additionally operate 32 ad-hoc flights to and from multiple points in the UAE on 9 March 2026, subject to slot availability, regulatory approvals, and operational conditions. We are closely monitoring developments and will provide further updates as the situation evolves.”

The official press release read, “Air India and Air India Express will continue to operate their respective scheduled services to and from Jeddah and Muscat on 9 March 2026, as the airspaces over Saudi Arabia and Oman remain open. The two airlines will together operate a total of 10 flights to and from Jeddah and Air India Express will operate 14 flights to and from Muscat. On 9 March 2026, Air India will operate one round-trip each from Delhi and Mumbai to Jeddah, and Air India Express will operate one round-trip each from Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Kozhikode. Air India Express will also operate its scheduled services to Muscat, including one round-trip each from Delhi, Mumbai, Kannur, Thiruvananthapuram and Tiruchirappalli, and two round-trips from Kochi.”

Europe and North America

Air India said the move comes as it continues to maintain scheduled operations to Europe and North America despite operational challenges. The airline is currently relying on alternative flight routings that are assessed to be safe, ensuring that passengers can continue travelling between India and major global hubs. The airline added that the additional services are intended to ease travel pressures and offer more options for passengers needing to reach international destinations during a period when many travel routes remain constrained due to the evolving situation in West Asia.