Airlines Gradually Resume Flights Amid Ongoing Middle East Tensions

Flight Operations Slowly Restart

New Delhi: On Friday, several domestic airlines, including IndiGo, Air India, and SpiceJet, began to cautiously restore limited flight services to and from the Middle East. This comes as many flights remain cancelled due to ongoing airspace restrictions linked to the conflict between the US-Israel and Iran.

IndiGo announced plans to operate 17 departures (34 sectors) to eight destinations in the Middle East on Friday, while collaborating with government officials to ensure safe operations.

Air India and Air India Express confirmed the resumption of flights to Jeddah and Muscat after receiving confirmation that the airspaces of Saudi Arabia and Oman were accessible, according to various reports.

SpiceJet is set to run special flights from the UAE to India on March 6 and 7, with additional services planned for March 8 to facilitate passenger travel during the ongoing situation.

IndiGo advised passengers with bookings to await direct communication from the airline before heading to the airport.

Air India also revealed plans for ad-hoc repatriation flights from locations such as Dubai, Ras Al Khaimah, and Fujairah on March 6, pending regulatory approvals.

Scheduled flights to other destinations in West Asia will remain suspended until March 10. Passengers holding tickets issued before March 4 for travel between February 28 and March 8 can rebook within a month without incurring extra fees.

Industry statistics indicate that traffic at Dubai International Airport surged nearly twofold on Thursday compared to the previous day, reaching 25% of normal levels.

From February 28 to March 5, over 44,000 flights were planned to operate in and out of the Middle East, with more than 25,000 cancellations reported so far.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has been coordinating with airlines and relevant agencies, activating a Passenger Assistance Control Room to help stranded travelers.

The Ministry is maintaining close communication with airlines and is actively monitoring ticket prices to prevent any unreasonable increases during this period.