Flight operations between India and the Middle East remain disrupted as tensions in the region continue following military action involving Iran.
Airlines have begun restoring some services, but schedules across the region have not returned to normal. Indian carriers have resumed limited flights while also operating repatriation services to bring stranded passengers back to the country.
The disruptions began after a joint military action by the United States and Israel against Iran on Feb. 28, which led several airlines to suspend flights across the Middle East. Since then, carriers have gradually restarted operations as they review safety and operational conditions.
Several major Middle Eastern airlines, including Emirates, Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways, initially halted services when the conflict started. Some operations have resumed, though airlines continue to adjust schedules.
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Indian airlines, including Air India, Akasa Air, IndiGo and SpiceJet, also faced disruptions in the early days of the conflict.
According to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Indian carriers cancelled 279 international flights on Sunday alone due to the situation in West Asia. At the same time, airlines operated repatriation services, running a total of 49 such flights on the same day.
Passenger movement data released by the ministry showed that 51 inbound flights operated by Indian carriers arrived in India from the region on March 7. These flights carried 8,175 passengers returning from destinations across West Asia, the ministry said.
The ministry said the flights were part of efforts to manage passenger movement during the ongoing disruptions.
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Flight Status
Airlines are planning a limited number of services on Monday as operations continue to adjust.
Air India and Air India Express together are scheduled to run 24 regular flights to Jeddah and Muscat.
The airlines are also preparing to operate 32 ad-hoc flights from several locations in the United Arab Emirates. The airline said these flights will operate “subject to slot availability, regulatory approvals, and operational conditions.”
To assist passengers affected by the disruptions, Air India said it plans to run 78 additional flights across nine routes between March 10 and March 18.
According to a report by Mint, SpiceJet is expected to operate at least three flights from Dubai and Fujairah to India on Monday.
Other Indian airlines have not yet announced their schedules for Monday. Airlines including Akasa Air and IndiGo have operated a limited number of flights on Middle East routes.
Airport Advisory
Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi issued a travel advisory for passengers on Monday.
In a post on X, the airport said: “Due to the current situation in the Middle East some westbound international flights may face delays or changes to their schedules. Passengers are encouraged to check the latest information with their respective airlines before travelling to the airport.”
Reports said explosions were heard in Doha on Monday. Authorities in Saudi Arabia said they had intercepted missiles, while Kuwait said its air defence systems were working to intercept drones and missiles.
According to a report by Times Now, Muscat International Airport in Oman has asked private jet operators not to schedule additional flights for now.
An internal communication cited in the report said the airport informed charter operators that “Due to the current crisis management measures at Muscat International Airport, flight movements are restricted to approved seasonal scheduled services only.”
Meanwhile, travel platform EaseMyTrip said it plans to operate charter flights to assist passengers stranded in the region.
The company said charter flights will be arranged from Doha and Bahrain to Delhi and Mumbai.
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