Air India increases flights to Maldives and other destinations amid Middle East disruptions

An Air India flight carrying a shipment of vaccines from India to the Maldives arrived in the Maldives around 14:50 on January 20, 2021. (Sun Photo/Fayaz Moosa)

In response to significant air travel disruptions stemming from geopolitical instability in the Middle East, Air India has initiated a strategic expansion of its flight network. Between March 10 and March 18, the airline will operate 78 supplementary flights connecting Delhi and Mumbai to major global hubs, including London, New York, and the Maldives. This temporary measure, providing over 17,000 additional seats, aims to stabilize travel connectivity and support tourism sectors, such as the Maldives, which have experienced recent declines in visitor arrivals due to restricted air corridors.

Implementation of 78 additional flights across nine international routes from March 10 to March 18.
Strategic focus on connecting Delhi and Mumbai with major Western and South Asian destinations.
Deployment of Boeing 787-8 and Airbus A320neo aircraft to maximize capacity during the disruption period.
Direct effort to mitigate declining tourist numbers in the Maldives caused by air route instability.

Air India has increased its international flight operations, including services to the Maldives, as part of a temporary expansion introduced in response to widespread air travel disruptions caused by the conflict in the Middle East.

According to the airline, 78 additional flights will operate between 10 and 18 March, covering nine major routes linking Delhi and Mumbai with Europe, the United States, the Maldives and Sri Lanka. The move is aimed at meeting strong demand for reliable travel options as several West Asian air corridors face restrictions.

The expanded schedule includes additional flights on the following routes:

Delhi–New York (JFK)
Delhi–London (Heathrow)
Mumbai–London (Heathrow)
Delhi–Frankfurt
Delhi–Paris (CDG)
Delhi–Amsterdam
Delhi–Zurich
Delhi–Male'
Delhi–Colombo

Air India Chief Commercial Officer Nipun Aggarwal told Indian media that the airline is maintaining operations through safe, alternative routings, and that the additional flights will offer passengers more dependable travel options during a period of uncertainty.

The temporary expansion adds 17,660 seats across the nine routes. Wide‑body Boeing 787‑8 aircraft will operate most European services, while flights to Male' and Colombo will use Airbus A320neo aircraft.

The increase comes at a time when flights to the Maldives have declined due to the Middle East conflict, affecting tourist arrivals. According to the Tourism Ministry, 6,000 tourists arrived on 1 January, but the number had fallen to 4,000 by Monday, reflecting the impact of disrupted air travel through Gulf hubs.

By Azhaar Abdul Azeez

Writer