Air India’s Calcutta-London flight, which was temporarily withdrawn in May for three months, is set to be disbanded.

“The flight is not doing well. The passenger load factor is poor,” civil aviation minister Praful Patel told Metro.

“In all probability, the flight will be withdrawn,” said a source in the civil aviation ministry.

Though Patel cited poor load factor, sources said private operators are preparing to bid for the slot.

Air India officials, however, denied that the thrice-a-week direct flight would be disbanded. “There is no likelihood of the flight being withdrawn. The passenger load is picking up,” said an airline spokesperson.

The flight, launched in June 2006, was withdrawn temporarily in May following a shortage of pilots. It was re-introduced in July with an Airbus 330 aircraft.

The flight was being frequently cancelled because of shortage of aircraft and technical difficulties.

According to sources in the travel and tourism industry, the biggest problem the Air India flight is facing is the timing. “The timing is not convenient for passengers planning to take a connecting flight from London,” said the source.

The flight takes off from Calcutta at 1.15pm and reaches Heathrow at 7.30pm (London time).

“By the time it reaches London, the connecting flights for US and European destinations leave. So, passengers have to wait for the next morning flight,” said Anil Punjabi, the chairman (east) of the Travel Agents Federation of India.

If Air India withdraws operations from Calcutta, the city will be left with only one direct flight to London, run by British Airways.

Another international carrier is reducing its flight frequency from Calcutta. German carrier Lufthansa’s Calcutta-Frankfurt flight will operate thrice a week from October, instead of five times a week.

“The frequency will be reduced from October 26,” an airline official said. He, however, refused to comment on the reason.

Lufthansa had increased the frequency to five days a week from the last week of July. Aviation industry sources said the fear of poor passenger turnout during the winter months has prompted the airline to cut down the frequency.

After the rise in aviation fuel price, a number of domestic airlines had withdrawn some flights from Calcutta. Lufthansa will be the first international carrier to reduce frequency of its Calcutta service.