Air India Slashes International Fares On Boeing 787 Routes Amid Crash Fallout, Passenger Concerns

Following the tragic crash involving a Boeing 787 aircraft in Ahmedabad, Air India has significantly slashed ticket prices on several international routes-a move widely perceived as an effort to counter a growing erosion of passenger trust.

A report by Business Today reveals that fares on a number of Boeing 787-operated routes have been heavily discounted in comparison to rival carriers.

Photo Credit: AP/PTI

A quick check on MakeMyTrip.com shows that a Delhi-to-Paris ticket on Air India flight AI 143 is currently available for under ₹31,000-less than half of the ₹64,000 being charged by Air France for the same route.

Likewise, a Delhi-to-Amsterdam ticket on AI 155, another Boeing 787 service, is priced at ₹26,200, compared to more than ₹66,000 on KLM.

The trend is mirrored on eastbound routes as well. A Delhi-Hong Kong ticket on Air India costs under ₹13,000, while Cathay Pacific is charging nearly three times that amount.

A flight to Tokyo on the same aircraft type is listed at ₹37,500, whereas Japan Airlines is quoting close to ₹52,000 for a similar journey, reported Business Today.

These fare reductions are primarily focused on Boeing 787 routes-the same aircraft model involved in the Ahmedabad crash-while flights operated by other aircraft types show relatively modest price differences.

For instance, Air India's Delhi-London service (AI 111), operated by an Airbus A350, is actually priced slightly above the corresponding British Airways fare.

However, the Delhi-New York route is 25% cheaper on Air India than on American Airlines, and its Delhi-Chicago service, operated by a Boeing 777, is nearly 30% less expensive.

These bold pricing moves come as the airline finds itself under increasing scrutiny.

The crash has resulted not only in the tragic loss of lives and aircraft, but also threatens to derail Air India's target of achieving financial break-even by the end of the fiscal year.

In response, the airline has announced an immediate 15% reduction in its international wide-body services-comprising Boeing 787s, Boeing 777s, and Airbus A350s-set to remain in effect until at least mid-July.

Currently, Air India operates approximately 70 international wide-body flights daily.

Aviation analysts say the dual challenge of reputational damage and falling demand may significantly undermine Air India's turnaround efforts.