Air India Official Warns of Rising Costs and Crew Strain Amid Disrupted Travel Due to Geopolitical Tensions

Aviation Sector Disrupted by West Asia Conflict

The ongoing West Asia conflict is having a significant impact on the aviation sector, according to an Air India official. Longer flight durations, higher operational costs, and pressure on crew availability are just a few of the challenges that airlines are facing.

At the WION ICONIC Travel & Tourism Summit 2026, Manish Puri, Head of Global Sales, Air India and Air India Express, highlighted the multi-faceted impact of the conflict on the aviation industry. Puri noted that the part airspace closure due to the Middle East crisis has significantly increased the duration of flights to Europe or the US. This, in turn, has led to higher fuel costs.

The increased flight duration has also resulted in a crew restriction, where pilots and cabin crew are limited to a certain number of flying hours. This has resulted in a shortage of cockpit and cabin crew, forcing airlines to bring down the number of flight frequencies to maintain schedule integrity. According to Puri, an aircraft that used to take 13 hours to reach its destination now takes around 17-18 hours.

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Apart from the West Asia crisis, the last 1-1.5 years have seen a significant increase in geopolitical concerns, leading to economic uncertainties. This has had a ripple effect on long-haul travel, with the US being a major market for Air India. Currently, disruptions are impacting travel schedules and leisure travel, according to Puri.