Air India Temporarily Suspends Pune–Singapore Route Amid Operational Restructuring

Pune, 23rd June 2025: Air India has temporarily halted its direct Pune-to-Singapore flight service until mid-July as part of a broader route rationalisation strategy. The airline, currently facing heightened scrutiny following the recent Ahmedabad runway incident, said the suspension is intended to enhance system-wide reliability and passenger convenience.

The now-paused service, previously operated by Vistara before the airline’s merger into Air India, was launched in December 2022. The flight—operating under the code AI-2111—ran four times a week using Airbus A321 aircraft. It departed Pune at 2:10 am (IST) and arrived in Singapore at 10:30 am (local time). The inaugural flight was flagged off by then Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia.

A spokesperson from Air India explained that the move is part of a minor cutback in its narrow-body aircraft operations, accounting for less than 5% of its overall schedule.

“In order to ensure improved punctuality and avoid last-minute cancellations, we have made network adjustments. This includes the temporary suspension of services on three routes and reduced frequencies on 19 others,” the airline stated in an official release. “These changes will remain in effect until at least July 15, with a focus on stabilising operations and enhancing passenger experience.”

Though the airline did not directly link the suspension to the recent runway incident, industry experts say carriers often reassess operational priorities following major safety-related events.

The direct @airindia flight between #Pune & #Singapore as of now seems to be discontinued after 1st July . This will be a huge blow to international air connectivity from Pune which is already very limited . Request @mohol_murlidhar ji to intervene on behalf of our city to…

— Dr. Sudhir Mehta (@sudhirmehtapune) June 22, 2025