Kolkata: Air connectivity between Kolkata and key Gulf destinations faced disruption on Friday after seven international flights were cancelled at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia, officials said.
According to data shared by the Airports Authority of India (AAI), the cancelled services included flights operating between Kolkata and major Gulf transit hubs such as Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi.
Airport officials said the affected flights were operated by Air Arabia, Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways and Emirates. The cancellations included two Emirates flights operating between Kolkata and Dubai, two Etihad Airways services connecting Kolkata and Abu Dhabi, an Air Arabia flight from Kolkata to Abu Dhabi and two Qatar Airways flights operating between Kolkata and Doha.Both inbound and outbound services were affected as airlines reviewed flight operations and routes in view of the developing security situation in the region.
A senior airport official said airlines were closely monitoring developments and taking operational decisions to ensure passenger safety. Passengers booked on the affected flights have been advised to check with their respective airlines regarding rescheduling, refunds or alternative travel arrangements. Flight services between Kolkata and West Asian destinations had only recently begun to stabilise. On March 5, operations partially resumed after a four-day disruption when a flydubai aircraft from Dubai landed at Kolkata airport at around 2.40 am with 130 passengers, marking the first arrival from the region since the suspension.
The same aircraft later departed for Dubai with 55 passengers, indicating a gradual restoration of services before fresh cancellations were reported on Friday.