After 68 years, AI flight connecting Madurai and Chennai to stop operations from Oct. 25

The Chennai- Madurai- Chennai sector flight operated by Air India (AI) Express might be stopped from October 25, reliable sources in the airline industry said on Friday (September 4, 2026). The flight, which was being operated for 68 long years on the route by both Indian Airlines and Air India, was not only popular among frequent flight users, but also traveller-friendly as the air fare was relatively affordable, operators told The Hindu.

With the closure of the sector by AI Express, the route will become monopoly for Indigo, which operates over five flights daily between the two cities. Though different factors were attributed to the closure of Air India Express flight, including poor patronage, not being cost-effective, et al, travel agents and tour operators disagreed and stated that even on Friday, 159 passengers arrived from Chennai to Madurai on AI Express and in the return direction, about 70 passengers travelled to Chennai.

The flight departed from Chennai at 10.15 a.m. and arrived at Madurai at 11.30 a.m. In the return trip, it departed at 12 noon from Madurai and reached Chennai at 1.10 p.m. When Air India claimed that it was no longer viable to operate its flights on the Chennai- Madurai- Chennai sector, how would it be possible to make it commercially viable to ply between Madurai and Bengaluru and vice versa, questioned travel agents and tour operators.

By shutting down its operations on the Chennai- Madurai- Chennai sector, Air India Express had given the monopoly status to Indigo, the operators said, and appealed to the MPs from southern districts to meet the Union Aviation Minister considering the importance of this sector.

When Air India had added many new services at Tiruchi, including flights to Hyderabad, Singapore and a few destinations in the UAE, why had Madurai been neglected, the travel agents in Madurai, Sivakasi and Karaikudi asked, and hoped that Air India would withdraw its stop-operation announcement.

A senior travel club member in Madurai said many foreign nationals might have planned their trips to south Tamil Nadu between October and March, considered the peak season for the tour operators. They might have booked tickets on Air India Express or planned to go ahead with the reservations soon to be here for Dasara, Deepavali, Christmas and Pongal celebrations.

However, with the flight pulling out its services from the sector, they might either avoid visiting Madurai or look at alternatives. In the event of high costs, they might skip Madurai certainly, he added.