Shares of Interglobe Aviation, the operator of IndiGo, will be in focus heading into trade on Friday after the company said it is temporarily suspending flights to six international destinations as part of a network optimisation exercise, citing a traditionally softer demand environment in the upcoming quarter and a challenging cost landscape.The airline said operations to Langkawi, Krabi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong and Shanghai will be suspended from July 1, 2026, while services to Siem Reap will be paused from July 3, 2026. The suspensions will remain in effect until September 30, 2026.IndiGo said bookings for all affected routes will resume on October 1, 2026. However, the airline added that it is prepared to restore services earlier if operating conditions improve, subject to adequate lead time.Despite the temporary adjustments, IndiGo said it has retained the majority of its international operations, continuing to operate more than 1,800 international flights every week.According to the airline, the changes are aimed at aligning capacity with prevailing market conditions and demand trends while maintaining reliability and network integrity across its international network. IndiGo said it will continue to monitor the operating environment amid elevated costs and ongoing airspace restrictions.The airline said the move reflects its approach to managing capacity responsibly while minimising inconvenience to passengers. IndiGo added that affected customers will be informed proactively and advised travellers to check the latest flight information before planning their journeys.This comes just a few days after it suspended flights to and from Manchester from August 31, as prolonged airspace restrictions and rising operational expenses continue to weigh on long-haul services.The airline said the temporary suspension will lead to the return of one of the six Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft leased from Norse Atlantic Airways, which were brought in to support its long-haul international expansion plans.In a statement issued on Tuesday, IndiGo said ongoing international airspace constraints have significantly increased flight durations, while a difficult cost environment has made operations on the route increasingly challenging. As a result, services between India and Manchester will be paused from August 31, 2026. For InterGlobe Aviation, the operator of India's largest airline by market share, 2026 has been a year of back-to-back challenges. The troubles began in February when IndiGo found itself at the centre of one of the worst episodes of air travel disruption in the country. The implementation of new Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) norms forced the airline to overhaul crew scheduling, triggering a severe pilot shortage and widespread operational disruptions.Just as the airline was beginning to recover from the disruption, a much larger challenge emerged. The Israel-Iran conflict, which later drew direct U.S. involvement and has now entered its third month, sent shockwaves through global markets. Few industries have felt the impact as directly as aviation.IndiGo shares have fallen nearly 20% over the past six months and are down almost 30% from their August 2025 peak of Rs 6,232. (Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of The Economic Times)