Air India faced disruptions on Tuesday as it had to cancel nine international flights, including eight on Boeing 787 Dreamliner and one on a B777. The cancellations affected routes like Ahmedabad-London Gatwick, Gatwick-Amritsar, Delhi-Vienna, Paris-Dubai, Bangalore-London, and Paris-Delhi. A Boeing 777 operating San Francisco-Kolkata-Mumbai was grounded due to technical issues in Kolkata, leading to the cancellation of the Mumbai-SFO flight.

After the recent Ahmedabad crash, Air India now has 33 Dreamliners, with four undergoing major maintenance. The airline has faced challenges with longer flight routes to and from the west due to airspace closures after the Israel-Iran conflict. This has led to increased flying time and crew fatigue issues. Air India has sought relaxation from DGCA to address crew duty limitations.

The airline's expansion of routes in the past two years has outpaced aircraft induction, causing strain on operations. With fewer Dreamliners available for long-haul flights, Air India has struggled to maintain on-time performance. Technical issues with older aircraft have also contributed to flight disruptions.

Regarding Tuesday's cancellations, Air India cited aircraft unavailability, airspace restrictions, and precautionary checks as reasons. The airline is working on alternative arrangements for affected passengers, including hotel accommodations, refunds, and rescheduling options.