Massive Flight Cancellations: How Middle East Tensions Impacted Travel in India

Significant Flight Disruptions at Major Airports

New Delhi: On Sunday, a total of 225 international flights were cancelled at the airports in Mumbai and Delhi due to operational issues stemming from the recent US and Israeli military actions in Iran, which led to the closure of airspace in the Gulf region.

At Mumbai Airport, 125 flights were cancelled, while Delhi Airport saw around 100 cancellations, according to reports.

Sources indicate that at Delhi Airport, 60 international departures and 40 arrivals were among the cancelled flights.

In a statement on X, Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) warned that the ongoing political unrest in the Middle East could lead to further disruptions or changes in flight schedules.

DIAL manages the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) in Delhi.

By 2:30 PM on Sunday, Mumbai Airport had recorded 125 cancellations, including 67 departures and 58 arrivals, as reported by another source.

Due to limited parking space, Mumbai Airport authorities issued a NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) prohibiting the acceptance of any diverted flights from 9 PM on Saturday until 8 AM on March 1, in light of the situation in West Asia.

This decision was made to manage the lack of parking availability as numerous flights were either returning to their original destinations or diverting to nearby airports, according to a source.

Mumbai International Airport Ltd, the private operator of the airport, confirmed the NOTAM regarding the restriction on diversions.

Earlier in the day, the Civil Aviation Ministry projected that domestic airlines would cancel a total of 444 international flights on Sunday.