Qatar Airways Resumes Limited Flights Amid Middle East Tension

The limited flight operations to Delhi, Mumbai, Istanbul, Dhaka, Kuala Lumpur, Algiers, Melbourne, New York, Jeddah, Cairo, Madrid, Hong Kong, London, Casablanca, Rome, and Paris have been resumed.

Qatar Airways clarified that these are the select flights in the coming days to support passengers affected by the disruption in the Gulf region.

"These flights do not constitute confirmation of the resumption of scheduled commercial operations," Qatar Airways said.

The airlines advised passengers not to arrive at their departure airport unless they hold a valid, confirmed ticket for travel.

Meanwhile, Airlines, including IndiGo and Air India, issued advisories regarding disruptions to flights to the United Arab Emirates, particularly Dubai, as the evolving West Asia crisis has led to operational restrictions and schedule changes in the Middle East.

In a post on X, IndiGo informed passengers that flight operations in Dubai have been further restricted, leading to modifications in schedules. "Update: Due to the evolving situation in the Middle East, flight operations have been further restricted in Dubai, leading to changes in flight schedules. Customers travelling to/from Dubai are requested to check their flight status before leaving for the airport. We are also sending out notifications to keep customers informed of the latest updates," the airline said.

Meanwhile, Air India stated that following instructions from the UAE airport authorities, both Air India and its subsidiary Air India Express have curtailed several scheduled flights on March 15.

According to the airline, Air India will operate only one Delhi-Dubai return flight, while four of the five planned Dubai flights have been cancelled. Air India Express will also operate a single Delhi-Dubai return flight, with five out of six scheduled Dubai flights cancelled.

The developments come amid broader disruptions in the aviation sector triggered by the evolving West Asia crisis, which has also driven a sharp rise in aviation turbine fuel prices.

Several airlines, including IndiGo, Air India and Akasa Air, have recently introduced fuel surcharges on domestic and international routes to offset rising operational costs linked to the surge in fuel prices.

- ANI