Air India has been busy optimising its network since the arrival of Vistara in the mix. Currently, there is a focus on homogenising equipment across the network so that passengers can get the same experience with multiple flights and don’t have to choose based on equipment. To this effect, Air India has filed many changes this week, which will go into effect in January or February 2025.

Air India’s International Network Changes in 2025

Air India has already optimised much of its network, and now more will happen. For instance, Air India will have the A350s take over Delhi—Newark and v.v. in the North American network in January 2025 and transitioned Delhi—New York JFK to the A350 in November 2024.

Asia Network Changes

Here are the changes to the Singapore network in 2025.

• Bangalore – Singapore will switch from Air India A320neo equipment to Vistara A320neo on January 1, 2025. Hence, the flight number will change from AI392/393 becomes AI2392/2393.
• Chennai – Singapore will switch from Air India A320neo/787-8 rotations to Air India’s A321 on January 1, 2025. No changes to the flight number.
• Delhi – Singapore will transition to an all-Vistara aircraft fleet as of January 1, 2025. Hence, two services will be operated by Vistara A321neo aircraft (currently one), and Vistara 787-9 will replace Air India 787-8 on the route. Consequently, flight numbers will change.
  • AI382/383 will transition to AI2382/2383, with a Vistara A321neo replacing an Air India A321neo
  • AI380/381 will transition to AI2380/2381, with a Vistara 787-9 replaces 787-8

Here are the changes to the Bangkok network in 2025.

• Delhi – Bangkok Suvarnabhumi will increase from three to four flights daily, all operated by A320neo aircraft. The fourth flight being added is going to operate per the following schedule.

AI304 DEL1600 – 2130BKK 32N D
AI303 BKK2230 – 0150+1DEL 32N D

Here is the network as of December 2024.

Here is the schedule as of January 2025.

• Delhi – Denpasar flights were transitioned to the Air India 787-8 aircraft during the week of the Vistara takeover by Air India. Effective January 1, 2025, the service will change numbers from AI2145/2146 to AI368/369.
• Delhi — Dhaka flights will increase from 2 to 3 daily. A Vistara A321neo will operate the third flight with flight numbers AI2181/2182.
• Mumbai – Bangkok Suvarnabhumi flights will move from Vistara A321neo to Air India A320neo on January 1, 2025. Thereby, AI2123/2124 will transition to AI354/353 and there will be two A320neo operations a day between Mumbai Bangkok and Bangkok Suvarnabhumi.

Europe Network Changes

• Delhi – Frankfurt flights will be transitioned to Vistara 787-9, compared to the current operations where the Boeing 787-8 of Air India and Boeing 787-9 of Vistara operate on the sector once a day each. Therefore, the flight number AI121/122 will also transition to AI2029/2030. However, the most significant change is in the timing. Currently, both flights depart within 30 minutes of each other every day. Here is the schedule for the first week of January.

As of February 2025, only one of these flights will operate. However, in March 2025, the next part of this switch will be implemented, and the flight will be retimed to depart in the morning bank of departures at 05:15 AM. Also, as you can note the second flight goes down to 5x weekly in this new update.

• Delhi – Paris Charles de Gaulle, which also sees two flights a day, with current operations once a day on the Boeing 787-8 of Air India and once a day with the Boeing 787-9 of Vistara, will now be transitioned to the Air India 787-8 aircraft which don’t have Premium Economy. Thereby, AI2021/2022 will be replaced by AI147/148. However, the most significant change is in the timing. Currently, both flights depart within 40 minutes of each other every day.

As of February 2025, the next part of this switch will be implemented, where the flight will be retimed to depart in the morning bank of departures at 04:55 AM.

Australia Network Changes

While there are no equipment changes in the Australian network, timing changes are being implemented. For instance, Delhi-Melbourne, which currently operates a departure at 2 PM in the afternoon,

will transition to an early morning departure as of February 2025.

Similarly, the Delhi – Sydney operation will switch from an afternoon departure from India,

to a midnight departure as well.

I’d recommend you read this article on Network Thoughts, which discussed the retiming exercise of India – Australia and v.v. routes is being done to offer connections between Europe and Australia.

Bottomline

After a wholesale reorganisation of the domestic network, where five routes will get the Vistara experience, it is the turn to reorganise time and equipment on the international route network. Air India will bring product consistency on Paris, Frankfurt and Singapore operations while retiming a whole lot of international flights to optimise connections.

What do you think of the Air India network rework?

(H/T to AeroRoutes and TIAG747 for their coverage)

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