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Indian Airlines Resume Limited Middle East Flights Amid Airspace Restrictions

Indian carriers IndiGo, Air India, and SpiceJet have begun a gradual and partial resumption of flights to and from select Middle East destinations. The resumption follows confirmation that Saudi Arabia's and Oman's airspaces are open, though thousands of services remain cancelled due to ongoing regional airspace restrictions. Airlines are operating special and repatriation flights to manage the backlog of stranded passengers. Authorities are monitoring the situation and airfares while assisting affected travellers.

Key Points: Indian Airlines Resume Some Middle East Flights

  • Limited flights restored to 8 destinations
  • Special flights from UAE to ease passenger movement
  • Over 25,000 flights cancelled in the region
  • DGCA activates control room for stranded travellers
2 min read

Indian airlines partially resume flights from some Middle East destinations

IndiGo, Air India, and SpiceJet partially restore services to Middle East destinations as airspace restrictions ease. Thousands of flights remain cancelled.

"working with government authorities to resume services safely - IndiGo"

New Delhi, March 6

Domestic airlines including IndiGo, Air India and SpiceJet on Friday began gradually restoring limited flight operations to and from the Middle East, while thousands of services remain cancelled amid continuing airspace restrictions tied to the US-Israel and Iran war.

IndiGo said it will operate 17 departures (34 sectors) on Friday to eight Middle East destinations and is working with government authorities to resume services safely.

Air India and Air India Express announced resuming flights to and from Jeddah and Muscat after authorities confirmed that Saudi's and Oman's airspaces were open, according to multiple reports.

SpiceJet said it will operate special flights from the United Arab Emirates to India on March 6 and 7, with additional services on March 8 to ease passenger movement amid the conflict.

IndiGo said passengers booked on its flights will be contacted directly, only after which they should go to airports.

Air India also announced ad‑hoc repatriation flights from hubs including Dubai, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah on March 6 subject to regulatory approvals.

It said scheduled services to other West Asia destinations remain suspended until March 10, and passengers with tickets issued until March 4 for travel between February 28 and March 8 can rebook within one month without extra charges or fare differences.

According to industry data, traffic at Dubai International Airport nearly doubled on Thursday compared with the previous day to 25 per cent of normal levels.

Data also showed that from February 28 to March 5, over 44,000 flights were scheduled to operate in and out of the Middle East, with over 25,000 flights cancelled so far.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation had earlier informed it was coordinating with airlines and related agencies and had activated a Passenger Assistance Control Room to assist stranded travellers.

The Ministry is in continuous touch with airlines and is closely monitoring airfares to ensure that there is no undue surge in ticket prices during this period, a statement had said.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
Good to see some flights resuming, but the communication from airlines has been very poor. My family in Muscat only found out through news reports, not a direct call. The process needs to be smoother.
A
Aditya G
Partial resumption is better than nothing, but 25,000 flights cancelled is a massive number. So many Indian workers and students are affected. Hope the situation stabilizes soon and fares don't skyrocket.
P
Priyanka N
The DGCA's Passenger Assistance Control Room is a good step. In times of crisis, having a central point of contact is crucial for worried families back home. Hope they are well-staffed and responsive.
M
Michael C
While I appreciate the effort to resume flights, the article mentions it's "subject to regulatory approvals." This uncertainty is the hardest part for travelers. Clear, real-time updates are needed.
K
Kavya N
Safety first, of course. But the economic impact is huge for both airlines and passengers. Glad to see the free rebooking policy is in place. Let's hope the monitoring on airfares is strict. No one should profiteer from this crisis.

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

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