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Air India Extends Gulf Flight Suspension to 2026 Amid Regional Tensions

Air India Express has extended its suspension of westbound international flights to the Gulf region until March 1, 2026, citing the ongoing regional situation. The airline is offering affected passengers options to reschedule without fees or receive a full refund. The widespread cancellations follow military escalations in West Asia, which have disrupted key international air corridors. Airlines are coordinating with authorities and monitoring the situation, with services to resume once safe flight paths are available.

Key Points: Air India Express Suspends Gulf Flights Until March 2026

  • Flight suspension extended to March 2026
  • Full refund or free rescheduling offered
  • Disruption due to West Asia military escalation
  • Airlines rerouting, airports setting up help desks
  • Services resume when safe corridors available
2 min read

Air India Express extends Westbound International Flight suspension to Gulf Region until March 2026

Air India Express extends suspension of westbound flights to Gulf region until March 2026 due to regional instability. Full refunds offered.

"Air India Express has extended the suspension... in view of the ongoing situation in parts of the Gulf Region. - Air India Express Spokesperson"

New Delhi, February 28

Air India Express has announced the extension of its westbound international flight suspensions to the Gulf region until March 1, 2026, due to the ongoing situation in the area. The airline is coordinating with authorities and will resume services when conditions permit. Guests with bookings affected by this suspension are offered options to reschedule without fees or receive a full refund.

An Air India Express spokesperson said, "Air India Express has extended the suspension of its westbound international flights until 23:59 hours on March 01, 2026, in view of the ongoing situation in parts of the Gulf Region. We are working closely with the relevant authorities and will resume services as soon as conditions allow. However, guests who booked travel to or from the Gulf region up to 28th February 2026, for journeys scheduled until 5th March 2026, may reschedule their travel to a future date without any date-change fees, or cancel their bookings for a full refund to their original mode of payment. Guests can conveniently manage their bookings at https://www.airindiaexpress.com/manage-booking or through Tia, our AI-powered chat assistant available on WhatsApp."

The widespread cancellations follow a sharp escalation in West Asia after joint military strikes involving Israel and the United States targeting Iranian sites, triggering retaliatory threats and the closure of airspace in Iran, Israel and Iraq. The developments have disrupted key international air corridors used by airlines operating between India and Gulf nations.

Airlines across the country have been forced to reroute or cancel flights, with airports setting up help desks to assist stranded passengers. Both Air India and IndiGo said they remain in close coordination with aviation authorities and are monitoring the situation round-the-clock.

Services will resume once safe flight corridors become available, the airlines said, urging passengers to stay updated through official channels as the situation evolves.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
While the safety reasoning is understandable, the communication could be better. "Ongoing situation" is vague. People have a right to know the specific risks being assessed. The refund policy is good, but transparency builds more trust.
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Priyanka N
It's a prudent decision. The geopolitical tension is no joke, and passenger safety is paramount. Better to suspend now than have an incident. Shoutout to the AI chat assistant 'Tia' on WhatsApp though - used it to reschedule my parents' tickets. The process was surprisingly smooth! 👍
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Aman W
This will hit the Kerala and Punjab economies hard. So much remittance flow and family travel depends on these flights. Hope the authorities are working on diplomatic solutions too, not just waiting for "conditions to permit."
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Karthik V
March 2026? That's essentially a two-year suspension. They must be anticipating a very prolonged conflict. Makes you wonder about the real assessment behind the scenes. Other airlines might follow suit soon.
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Michael C
The ripple effect on global travel and supply chains is significant. It's not just an India-Gulf issue. The closure of those key air corridors disrupts routes for many international carriers. A sobering reminder of how interconnected and fragile global stability is.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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