Air India Cancels Flights Amid Iranian Airspace Closure: What You Need to Know

Flight Cancellations and Delays

New Delhi: On Thursday, Air India announced the cancellation of several flights to the United States, along with potential delays for some European routes, attributed to the closure of Iranian airspace, as reported by a source.

The cancellations include two flights from Delhi to New York and Newark, as well as one from Mumbai to New York, according to information provided to a news agency.

In a statement on X, the airline explained that due to the current situation in Iran and the resulting airspace restrictions, flights that typically traverse this region are now being rerouted, which may cause delays.

Some flights that cannot be rerouted are being cancelled, and the airline expressed regret for the inconvenience this has caused to travelers due to these unexpected changes.

Air India relies on Iranian airspace for its routes to the US and Europe, with the alternative being to navigate through Iraqi airspace.

However, this rerouting through Iraq will extend flight durations, leading to fuel shortages for certain US-bound services, as noted by the source.

Additionally, with the ongoing closure of Pakistani airspace, Air India is already implementing longer flight paths for many of its westbound services.

Rising tensions between Iran and the US have raised concerns that the situation could escalate into a broader conflict.