According to reports, Air India recently made major adjustments to its NS25 Mumbai-Melbourne route. The airline has made the decision to turn this route into a seasonal operation, which will result in the suspension of flights from March 30, 2025, to September 13, 2025, according to the most recent schedule changes. Due to this change, Mumbai and Melbourne—a route that has been operated three times a week by the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner—will not have direct connectivity for more than five months.
Effects of Suspension of Mumbai-Melbourne Flights
In the absence of a direct connection, passengers will have to change their itinerary and pass through additional hubs, such as Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Dubai, or Doha, which would lengthen their overall journey time. It is probable that airlines like Qantas, Singapore Airlines, Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Malaysia Airlines will take in the displaced passengers, which could result in increased ticket costs and fewer seats available. Due to Australia’s high number of Indian expatriates and thousands of Indian students, the suspension during busy times may interfere with academic and business travel plans.
Because they would not have a nonstop alternative for almost half the year, frequent travellers in the Mumbai-Melbourne sector are projected to experience severe difficulty as a result of this suspension. There would be repercussions for the entire aviation sector from the temporary suspension of the direct Mumbai-Melbourne route.
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How Passengers Can Adjust to These Modifications
In order to deal with these schedule changes, travellers should carefully plan their itinerary and plan ahead. Early reservations will help guarantee affordable flights because demand for alternate routes via Singapore, Doha, and Dubai will increase. Passengers should keep an eye on airline announcements. In order to book flights appropriately post the suspension of Mumbai to Melbourne flights, travellers should stay informed about Air India’s periodic schedule modifications.
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Travellers from India can think about leaving from other major cities, such as Bengaluru or Delhi, where connections to Melbourne might not be impacted. Because the change in demand may result in alluring discounts from airlines hoping to take Air India’s temporarily displaced passenger base, frequent flyers and business travellers may also find it advantageous to investigate reward programs with rival airlines.
Cover Image Credits: Wikimedia Commons
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