Iran conflict disrupts air travel; Emirates, Etihad, Air India, IndiGo issue advisories | India News
Passengers stranded at Beirut airport (AP Photo)
Global flight operations have been largely affected by the ever-escalating situation in the Middle East, the joint US-Israeli attack on Iran that killed its Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and harsh retaliation from Tehran. Exchanges of missile strikes amid rising tensions have made the skies unsafe for aviation, leading to mass flight cancellations as several Gulf countries closed their airspace. Airports in Israel, Qatar, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman and the United Arab Emirates have also closed their airspace.The disruption followed a joint US-Israeli attack on Iran, which killed Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran retaliated by firing missiles and drones at Israeli and US military installations in the Gulf region. Military operations have continued since Khamenei’s death, with both the United States and Israel launching attacks on Iranian military installations. In return, Iran has fired missiles and drones at Israel, US bases in the Gulf and other regional targets.
Major transit hubs such as Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi handle major traffic between Europe, Asia and Africa. Airlines operating through West Asia may be diverted via Saudi Arabia or use longer sea routes, resulting in delays and higher costs. According to FlightAware, more than 2,800 flights were canceled across the Middle East on Sunday. Around 1,600 flights were canceled by West Asian carriers alone. In India, around 350 flights are canceled a day. Delhi airport reported 100 cancellations, while Mumbai reported 125. Tiruchirappalli airport also has multiple cancellations.
Air India
Air India has suspended flights from UAE, Saudi Arabia, Israel and Qatar till March 2. It canceled about 125 international flights and said flights to North America and Europe would operate on alternate routes with a technical stop in Rome. The airline advised passengers to check for updates online.“In view of the continuing situation in the Middle East, Air India has extended the suspension of all flights from UAE, Saudi Arabia, Israel and Qatar till 2359 hours IST on 2nd March 2026. Additionally, select flights to Europe scheduled on March 2, 2026 have been cancelled,” the airline said.
Indigo
IndiGo has suspended select international flights using West Asian airspace till March 2 It offers passengers options to rebook or claim refunds and says updates will be shared directly “This extension is a precautionary measure to ensure that we maintain the highest standards of safety for our customers and crew,” the IndiGo statement said.
Akasa Air
Akasa Air has suspended flights from Abu Dhabi, Doha, Jeddah, Kuwait and Riyadh until March 2. It offered full refunds or free rescheduling for affected passengers. “Passengers with affected bookings up to March 7, 2026 can opt for a full refund or reschedule their travel at no additional charge,” it said.
Spicejet
SpiceJeat has canceled all flights operating between India and UAE (to and from UAE) for March 1, 2026 and March 2, 2026.“Due to the temporary closure of UAE airspace amid the current situation, all SpiceJet flights operating between India and UAE have been canceled till 01 March 2026. Passengers are advised to check their flight status before proceeding to the airport,” the airline said.
Emirates
Emirates has suspended all flights to and from Dubai until Monday afternoon local time. The airline asked passengers to check flight status before heading to the airport.The official statement said: “Due to multiple regional airspace closures, Emirates has temporarily suspended all operations to and from Dubai at 1500 hours UAE time until Monday, March 2.”
Qatar Airways
Qatar Airways flights have reported that their operations are temporarily suspended due to the closure of Qatari airspace. The airline also said it will resume operations once Qatar’s civil aviation authority declares the safe reopening of Qatar’s airspace. A further update will be provided by 09:00 Doha Time (06:00 UTC) on 02 March.
The Etihad
“Regional airspace closures continue to affect Etihad’s operations, and all flights to and from Abu Dhabi have been suspended until 14:00 UAE time on Monday 2 March,” Etihad said in a social media post. The Gulf carrier has canceled 30 percent of its flights, according to aviation analytics agency Cerium.Thousands of passengers are stranded across West Asia and other international hubs. Passengers are waiting at airports and hotels with no clear timeline for when normal flight operations will resume as the fighting continues.
