Ixigo, Cleartrip, Air India: Brand moves amid the India-Pakistan conflict

The India-Pakistan conflict was not the ideal time for brands to attempt any bold statements. One direct-to-consumer brand tried it. Several online travel agencies suspended services to Turkey and Azerbaijan after the two openly supported Pakistan, while Air India opted to support the troops.

Air India group is grateful for the selfless service and dedication of our military and defence personnel. In the prevailing situation, for those personnel holding defence fares who are booked on Air India and Air India Express flights till 31 May 2025, we are offering full…

— Air India (@airindia) May 7, 2025

The Tata-owned airline posted on X in support of the country’s armed forces: “... personnel holding defence fares who are booked on Air India and Air India Express flights until 31 May 2025, we are offering full refunds on cancellation and a one-time waiver on rescheduling flights up to 30 June 2025 to support their duty commitments.”

Enough is Enough! Blood and Bookings wont flow together. We are suspending all flight and hotel bookings for Turkey, China and Azerbaijan on ixigo.

— Aloke Bajpai (@alokebajpai) May 10, 2025

Ixigo suspended all flight and hotel bookings to Turkey, Azerbaijan, and China. The online travel booking platform’s managing director and CEO, Aloke Bajpai, took to social media on 10 May 2025 to announce the move. “Enough is enough! Blood and bookings won’t flow together. We are suspending all flight and hotel bookings for Turkey, China and Azerbaijan on ixigo,” wrote Bajpai.

It was not the first online travel booking brand to announce such a suspension of service to these countries amid the conflict. Cox & Kings also suspended the sale of its packages to Turkey, Azerbaijan, and China. “In light of recent developments, we have decided to pause all new travel offerings to Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, and Turkey. This decision is driven by our commitment to uphold principles that matter deeply to us and the people of our country,” said Karan Agarwal, director of Cox & Kings, in Mint.

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Flipkart-owned Cleartrip, and Flipkart Travel, suspended all flight, holiday, and travel package bookings to Turkey and Azerbaijan. “Our stand is clear. Our loyalty, unwavering,” wrote Cleartrip on Instagram.

Travomint, too, suspended all ticketing services to Turkey and Azerbaijan as a mark of solidarity with the nation, according to an Instagram post from the travel operator.

Adding to the list was Go Homestays, a travel brand, which severed its ties with Turkish Airlines. The company posted on its X account: “We are officially ending our partnership with Turkish Airlines due to their unsupportive stance towards India. Going forward, we will no longer include their flights in our international travel packages. Jai Hind.”

One brand, however, stood out like a sore thumb for attempting moment marketing. Melangebox, a fashion brand, first declared a “15% off sitewide for 48 hours”, with the coupon code “SINDOOR15”; a nod to Operation Sindoor, the Indian armed forces’ name for their military campaign against Pakistani terrorists.

After facing online criticism, the brand revised its stance, stating that “15% of all proceeds from our current sale will be donated to support the welfare of Indian Armed Forces personnel and their families.”