Air India is planning its largest-ever schedule between Delhi and Melbourne for the upcoming northern winter season, lifting the route to a record ten weekly flights between Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) and Melbourne Airport (MEL). Simple Flying reports the expansion amounts to a jump of around 44% in scheduled services on the corridor, setting a new high for the carrier on the route.
The increase is one of the clearer signs of Air India rebuilding an international network that was scaled back sharply during the northern summer. Adding frequencies on a long-haul link to Australia points to renewed confidence in demand between the two countries and a willingness to commit widebody capacity to the market for the winter timetable.
Delhi–Melbourne is one of the most important India–Australia air links, serving a large diaspora, growing business ties and steady leisure and student traffic between the two nations. A move to ten weekly flights gives travellers more day-of-week choice and additional connectivity beyond both hubs, feeding Air India's domestic network in India and onward services within Australia.
The expansion also fits the broader story of Air India's transformation under Tata ownership. Since returning to the Tata Group, the airline has pursued an ambitious growth and renewal agenda, taking on new aircraft, refreshing its brand and steadily restoring or adding international routes that had been trimmed in previous years.
Schedule filings can still change before the season begins, but a record Delhi–Melbourne programme underlines how central the Australian market has become to Air India's long-haul plans as it works to reclaim share on key international corridors.
Sources: Simple Flying. Featured image: AI-generated by AviationShop. By Elena Vargas.
Comments
Loading comments…