Iran Israel War:  Indian airlines have halted and diverted flights after escalating tensions in West Asia. Joint strikes by the United States and Israel on Iran, followed by Iran’s retaliatory attacks, prompted airspace closures across multiple countries. Airlines prioritized the safety of passengers and crew over maintaining schedules.

Flights Diverted or Cancelled

Several Indian flights had to reroute or turn back due to restricted airspace. For example:

• Air India’s Delhi-Tel Aviv flight returned to Mumbai.

• Air India’s Delhi-Riyadh and IndiGo’s Amritsar-Sharjah flights were diverted.

• Air India Express’s Vijayawada-Sharjah and Mangaluru-Doha flights also faced cancellations or diversions.

• Flydubai’s Lucknow-Dubai flight was similarly affected.

SpiceJet warned passengers that some flights might be impacted depending on the evolving situation.

Regional Airspace Closures

Countries that fully or partially closed their airspace include Iran, Israel, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and the UAE. Qatar and the UAE are major aviation hubs, and disruptions there could impact international flight operations globally. Leading airlines like Qatar Airways and Emirates also warned of delays and diversions due to restricted airspace.

Impact on Indian Airline Operations

Indian carriers had already been avoiding Iranian airspace in recent weeks. However, West Asian airspace is vital for flights to Europe and North America. Extended restrictions will force airlines such as IndiGo and Air India to take longer detours, sometimes requiring additional refueling stops, which increases operational costs and travel time.

IndiGo serves Europe, and Air India operates to Europe and North America, making safe routing through West Asia essential for continued operations.

Airlines Emphasize Safety

IndiGo issued a passenger advisory, “In view of evolving airspace restrictions around Iran and Middle East, all flights to and from Middle East are cancelled till 0000hrs. These measures have been instituted as the safety and security of our customers and crew is our highest priority. Our teams are continuously monitoring the evolving situation and recalibrating operations to minimise disruption as much as possible. Customers are advised to check their flight status prior to departure.”

Air India confirmed, “All Air India flights to Middle East destinations have been suspended. We remain committed to maintaining the highest standards of safety for our passengers and crew. Our teams will provide all necessary support to passengers.”

Air India Express also announced, “All westbound international flights are suspended. The safety and security of our guests and crew remain our highest priority. We continue to monitor the situation closely and will adjust operations as necessary.”