Indian airlines cancel 350 flights

NEW DELHI/MUMBAI: Indian airlines cancelled 350 international flights on Sunday as operational disruptions continued for the second day due to the escalating Middle East conflict.

With airspace closures in the Middle East and security concerns, Air India and IndiGo have also cancelled their flights that use these airspaces. With the rise in regional military actions due to the US and Israeli strikes on Iran, the number of cancelled flights has increased as the airspace remains shut in the region.

Since the start of the conflict, over 3,000 flights have been cancelled due to the closure of airspace. On Saturday, over 1,800 flights to and from the region were cancelled due to the ongoing situation in the region.

“In view of airspace restrictions arising from geopolitical developments in the Middle East, a total of 350 flights operated by Indian domestic carriers have been cancelled on March 1,’’ the Civil Aviation ministry said in a post on X on Sunday. On February 28, the ministry said 410 flights of domestic carriers were cancelled.

Air India and SpiceJet shared details about the number of flights cancelled through X posts. Air India said Sunday morning it had cancelled a total of 22 international flights, besides 28 it had announced on February 28 due to the Middle East crisis. According to SpiceJet, 33 flights to and from the UAE have been cancelled.

Air India Express extended the suspension of flights to and from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates until 2359 hours IST on March 2.

IndiGo said the temporary suspension of select international flights that use Middle East airspace, has been extended until 2359 hours IST on March 2. All airlines provided the updates through posts on X while Air India Express issued a statement.

Meanwhile, the ministry also said it was closely coordinating with airlines, airport operators and other stakeholders to proactively monitor the situation and facilitate necessary passenger support.

Airlines are also offering waivers for rescheduling and cancellation charges. Air India and Air India Express said that for bookings made on or before February 28 with travel originally planned up to March 5, passengers can reschedule flights at no additional charge or request a full refund. This is for travel to and from the Middle East, which has been impacted due to the ongoing situation.

Not only domestic and international flights to and from the region, but the ongoing situation has also led to the cancellation of long-haul flights from the region to other parts of the world. Air India has cancelled flights from India to Europe and from India to the US due to the closure of airspace in the region. Currently, eight countries have closed their airspace due to the ongoing military actions in the region. These countries include Iran, Israel, Iraq, Qatar, the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Jordan. These countries have closed their airspace due to the ongoing military actions and strikes in the region. Dubai International Airport, which is considered to be the busiest airport in the world in terms of international passengers, is currently feeling the heat due to the closure of the airspace in the region.