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Air India has officially ceased its Pune-Mumbai flight service due to persistently low passenger occupancy, as reported by The Indian Express. Although there is a high demand for travel between Pune and Mumbai, the airline struggled to attract passengers, largely because of the flight’s inconvenient mid-day schedule.
Flight Duration and Schedule Details
The discontinued flight, with a brief duration of just 55 minutes, was once a quick option for travelers between the two cities. However, the flight timing did not align well with most passengers’ needs, leading to low occupancy rates and the eventual cancellation of the service.
Air India’s Mumbai-Pune flight operated on the following schedule: Flight AI 841 departed Mumbai daily at 11:05 am and arrived in Pune at 11:55 am. The return flight, AI 842, left Pune at 12:45 pm and landed back in Mumbai at 1:35 pm.
Reason for Discontinuation
Sanjay Dhoke, the Pune Airport Director, confirmed that the service was discontinued due to Air India’s “commercial considerations.” The airline’s difficulty in filling seats, despite strong overall demand for travel between Pune and Mumbai, underscored the impact of flight scheduling on passenger preferences.
Industry experts believe the mid-day timing of the flights did not suit business travelers or tourists, who typically prefer early morning or late evening flights. Consequently, many potential passengers likely chose other modes of transport or flights from different airlines with more convenient schedules.
Impact on the Pune-Mumbai Route
The Pune-Mumbai air route is one of the busiest in India, with numerous airlines vying for a share of this lucrative market. Air India’s departure from this route opens up opportunities for other carriers to adjust their schedules and better meet passenger needs between these two major cities.
While the discontinuation of Air India’s service may temporarily affect travelers who preferred the national carrier, other airlines are expected to fill the gap with more attractive schedules and services soon.
Air India’s choice to end its Pune-Mumbai flight service highlights the critical need for flight schedules to match passenger demand. Although there was robust overall interest in the route, the mid-day timing proved inconvenient, resulting in low occupancy and rendering the service commercially unsustainable. As the aviation industry recovers and adjusts in the post-pandemic era, airlines must stay flexible and responsive to passenger preferences to maintain profitability and ensure customer satisfaction.
