West Asia conflict: SpiceJet cancels flight ops to and from Dubai, announces seven special flights from Fujairah to India
New Delhi, March 15
SpiceJet on Sunday announced that it is operating special flights from Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates to India.
SpiceJet further said that flight operations to/from Dubai have been further restricted, which may result in changes to flight schedules.
In a post on X, it said, "Travel Update: Due to the evolving situation in the Middle East, flight operations to/from Dubai have been further restricted, which may result in changes to flight schedules. We are actively communicating the passengers about the changes via SMS/Email on the registered contact details. Passengers are advised to check their flight status via https://spicejet.com/#status before leaving for the airport, and can contact our 24x7 Reservation Helpline numbers at +91 (0)124 4983410 or +91 (0)124 7101600 for any immediate assistance."
"SpiceJet operates special flights from Fujairah to India. Check your flight status before heading to the airport," it added.
Gulf Air also issued an advisory that several of its flights are operating via Dammam.
In a post on X, Gulf Air said, "Update: As the closure of Bahrain airspace continues, Gulf Air is temporarily operating a number of commercial flights via Dammam. Next update: 11:00 BHT (08:00 UTC) Mar 16."
"Gulf Air has expanded its operations via King Fahad International Airport in Dammam. All passengers can now book commercial flights to LHR, BOM & BKK on http://gulfair.com or the Gulf Air app for travel between 15-16 March, with new dates to be announced in due course," it added.
A statement by Spice Jet said that in addition to these services, the airline is also operating a special flight from Dubai to Pune today to assist passengers looking to travel to India.
On March 16, the airline will operate four special flights from Fujairah to India and one additional flight from Dubai to India.
SpiceJet has been coordinating with airport authorities and other stakeholders to ensure smooth operations and passenger handling for these special services, the release noted.
Earlier on March 4, SpiceJet also operated eight special flights from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to facilitate the return of Indian nationals, according to the airline's release.
— ANI
Reader Comments
This is a real headache for NRIs and business travelers. Flights getting cancelled last minute is a major financial and emotional stress. Airlines and the government need a more robust contingency plan for such crises. Safety first, of course, but communication must be immediate and clear.
Operating from Fujairah is a smart workaround. The Gulf is such a critical corridor for India. Hope other airlines follow suit and coordinate to bring our people home safely. Jai Hind.
My heart goes out to all the students and workers there. Must be so scary. Thank you to the airline staff and authorities working on this. Please, if you have family there, keep checking the website and helpline like they said.
While the effort is commendable, the article mentions they are "actively communicating" but many passengers on social media are complaining about getting SMS very late. In today's age, real-time updates via app notifications should be mandatory. This is a respectful criticism for better service.
This shows how interconnected we are. A conflict far away directly impacts thousands of Indian families. Stay safe everyone, and a big shout-out to the ground teams handling the extra pressure at the airports. 💪
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.