JAKARTA - IndiGo will suspend flights to Langkawi, Krabi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong and Shanghai from July 1 and to Siem Reap from July 3. The airline said in a June 4 release that the six suspensions are scheduled to remain in effect until September 30.
Bookings for the affected services are scheduled to reopen from October 1. IndiGo said it could restore the flights earlier if operating conditions improve and sufficient lead time is available. The airline expects to retain more than 1,800 international flights each week after the reductions.
The route cuts come during a fuel-cost shock caused by the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran. Reuters reported on June 4 that airspace restrictions and higher operating costs are adding pressure on IndiGo. Middle East airspace closures have forced airline reroutings, and higher oil prices have pushed up jet-fuel costs. Indian carriers also face longer journeys because Pakistan continues to bar them from its airspace.
IndiGo cited traditionally softer demand in the coming quarter and an unusually difficult cost environment. “The airline will continue to monitor the situation given the elevated operating costs and continued airspace restrictions,” the company said.
The airline had already revised its fuel charges for bookings made from April 2. In an April 1 release, IndiGo said aviation turbine fuel prices for international operations had more than doubled during the previous month. It introduced a fuel charge of INR 5,000 per sector for Southeast Asia and China routes longer than 2,000 kilometres.
Other airlines have also reduced services as fuel prices rise. Air India said in a May 13 release that it would reduce selected international routes between June and August because of airspace restrictions and record-high jet-fuel prices. Reuters reported on May 27 that Air India had also cut 22% of its planned domestic services for June and July, and IndiGo had reduced its domestic schedule by about 7% to 10%.
The latest International Air Transport Association Jet Fuel Price Monitor puts the global average refinery price for aviation fuel at USD 141.64 per barrel for the most recent reported week, down 11.4% from the previous week. In its June 7 industry outlook, IATA forecast that jet-fuel prices will average USD 152 per barrel in 2026, up almost 70% from USD 90 in 2025.
The association expects the airline industry’s annual fuel bill to rise by nearly 40%, from USD 252 billion in 2025 to USD 350 billion in 2026. Fuel is forecast to account for 31.4% of airline operating expenses this year, up from 25.4% in 2025.
