Air India Express boosts UAE flights as Gulf routes resume from April 30

Dubai: UAE residents travelling to India will see more flight options from today, as Air India Express announced plans to ramp up services to the UAE and wider Gulf region.

The airline said several routes have been reistated and additional frequencies have been added starting April 30.

The airline said it is now operating over 40 daily flights across West Asia, with expanded connectivity to cities including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah and Al Ain — key routes heavily used by the UAE’s large Indian expatriate population.

Flights are resuming from multiple Indian cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Kochi, Kozhikode, Bengaluru and Lucknow, improving access across both major metros and regional hubs.

The announcement comes as a relief for Indian expatriates in the UAE as there are now more direct travel options and potentially better availability of seats, particularly on high-demand routes between South India and the UAE.

The airline has also reinstated services to Qatar and Bahrain, while continuing operations to Oman and Saudi Arabia, signalling a broader recovery of India-Gulf air connectivity.

Air India Express said the move is aimed at restoring established travel corridors between India and the Gulf, which are critical for business travel, tourism and visiting friends and relatives (VFR) traffic — a key segment in the region’s aviation market.

The airline currently operates a fleet of over 100 aircraft, including Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 jets, and connects 45 domestic and 17 international destinations.

For UAE travellers, the expanded schedule comes as demand continues to recover, particularly with summer travel approaching and more passengers looking to fly to India for holidays.

Other issues persist

However, the broader outlook for Indian airlines remains uncertain. Local media reports suggest the sector is facing mounting financial pressure due to a sharp rise in aviation turbine fuel (ATF) prices, driven in part by geopolitical tensions in West Asia.

Industry body Federation of Indian Airlines has warned that soaring fuel costs — which can account for up to 40 per cent of an airline’s operating expenses — are now pushing total costs to as high as 55–60 per cent, making operations increasingly difficult to sustain.

Airlines have urged the Indian government to reintroduce temporary relief measures, including fuel price caps and tax reductions, warning that the sector is under “extreme stress” and could face further disruptions if costs continue to rise.

For now, while connectivity between India and the UAE is improving, the financial strain on airlines could shape how fares and flight availability evolve in the months ahead.