With Israel and US striking Iran and Tehran responding with missiles targeting US military facilities across West Asia, numerous West-bound flights of Indian airlines were impacted Saturday due to airspace closures in the region and the increased risk of operating through it.
India’s largest airline IndiGo, Tata Group carriers Air India and Air India Express, and Akasa Air have suspended flights to all destinations in the region, while SpiceJet has also informed passengers that some of the airline’s flights might be affected due to the crisis.
For the time being, most Indian carriers have suspended flights to the region until midnight Sunday. But there may be further disruption given the evolving situation.
A number of international airlines have also announced suspension of operations in the region, and are being forced to take alternative routes to bypass much of West Asia. Flying in conflict zones is a major risk to civil aviation safety and most airlines proactively avoid transiting such regions even when their airspace is available.
Following the strikes, numerous flights had to be diverted, including some of Indian airlines. These included Air India’s Delhi-Tel Aviv flight that turned around and headed to Mumbai instead, as per flight tracking data. Other flights from India to destinations in countries like the UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia had to turn back or divert. These included Air India’s Delhi-Riyadh flight, IndiGo’s Amritsar-Sharjah flight, Air India Express’s Vijayawada-Sharjah and Mangaluru-Doha flights, and Flydubai’s Lucknow-Dubai flights.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) reviewed the preparedness of all stakeholders in view of the evolving situation, and asked Indian airlines to ensure timely rerouting and diversion of flights wherever required in accordance with safety protocols.
“Airports across the country, particularly major international gateways, have been placed on operational alert to manage potential flight diversions, unscheduled landings and passenger facilitation requirements. The Airports Authority of India and private airport operators have been advised to maintain enhanced coordination with airlines for ground handling, parking bays, passenger amenities, crew logistics and immigration support, as necessary,” the Ministry said in a statement.
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“The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has been advised to remain in close coordination with airlines to ensure full compliance with safety regulations, crew duty time limitations, and operational advisories. Further, continuous monitoring mechanisms should be activated to assess the evolving airspace dynamics and mitigate any cascading impact on domestic schedules,” it said.
After the review, the DGCA advised all Indian aircraft operators to refrain from operating in the affected airspace and closely monitor all updated Aeronautical Information Publications (AIPs) and Notice to Airmen (NOTAMs) issued by the affected countries and their national authorities.
The DGCA advisory listed the airspace of 11 countries as a “high-risk zone”: Iran, Israel, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, the UAE and Qatar.
Qatar and the UAE are global aviation hubs with massive flight traffic, and disruption of flight operations in these regions could have a cascading impact on flight operations in various parts of the world. Qatar Airways and Emirates, major global airlines from the region, suspended operations from their respective hubs of Doha and Dubai.
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Other airlines that announced suspension of flights to various West Asian destinations included Lufthansa, Air France, KLM, British Airways, Turkish Airlines, Iberia, Wizz Air, Virgin Atlantic, Aegean Airlines, Japan Airlines and Scandinavian Airlines. West Asia is an important flight corridor connecting Asia Pacific with Europe and beyond.
Indian carriers were already avoiding Iranian airspace these past few weeks, but the broader West Asian airspace is important for them not just because of their operations in the region, but also for overflights while heading to destinations in Europe and North America.
If the airspace restrictions in the region stay in place for an extended period, it could significantly impact Indian airlines’ operations to West Asia and beyond. While all major Indian carriers serve destinations in West Asia, IndiGo and Air India also fly beyond the region: IndiGo to Europe and Air India to Europe and North America. To reach destinations in these regions while skirting most of the West Asian airspace, the carriers would need to take longer routes and, in some cases, even refuelling halts.
In a passenger advisory on social media platform X, IndiGo said: “In view of the evolving situation around Iran and the Middle East, our flight operations to and from the Middle East and other select international sectors have been suspended until 1st March 2026. We understand the impact this may have on your travel plans and sincerely regret the inconvenience. We hope you understand that this decision has been taken as a proactive safety measure. In an endeavour to provide support to our customers, we are extending full flexibility and waivers for travel to/from the Middle East and select international sectors until 7th March 2026, applicable to bookings made on or before 28th February, 2026.”
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IndiGo said it remains in close coordination with aviation authorities, and is monitoring the situation round-the-clock, and will resume services as soon as safe flight corridors become available.
In its advisory on the situation, Air India said: “In view of the current situation in the Middle East, Air India has cancelled all flights to destinations in the region until 2359 hours on 1 March. We are closely monitoring developments and remain in continuous coordination with the relevant authorities. The safety and security of our passengers, crew and aircraft remain our highest priority. We will continue to assess the situation and take appropriate operational decisions as necessary. Affected passengers are being informed, and our teams are providing all required assistance to our passengers, including rebooking and refunds.”
Air India Express and Akasa Air announced that they were suspending flights to West Asia until “2359 hrs on 1 March” and “until March 02”, respectively.
An Air India Express spokesperson said, “In view of the developing situation in parts of the Gulf Region, Air India Express has suspended all westbound international flights. The safety and security of our guests and crew remain our highest priority. We continue to closely monitor the evolving situation and will proactively review and adjust our operations as necessary. Our teams are extending all possible support and assistance to impacted guests.”
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