India to Operate 58 Flights from Gulf Cities as Middle East Airspace Remains Closed

MUMBAI:
Indian carriers have taken initiatives to operate 58 flights on Wednesday to repatriate passengers stranded in the Middle East, even as most regional airspace remained closed or restricted amid escalating conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran.

“Indian carriers are further planning 58 flights on 4th March, including 30 by IndiGo and 23 by Air India and Air India Express. Foreign carriers operating between India and the Gulf region are also undertaking limited operations, subject to operational and airspace considerations,” said Civil Aviation Ministry.

Indian carriers have undertaken calibrated adjustments to their schedules, with long-haul and ultra long-haul operations being progressively resumed through alternative routings that avoid restricted airspace, the ministry added.

Air India, IndiGo, SpiceJet and Akasa Air will run multiple special flights from Gulf cities including Dubai and Fujairah, multiple reports said. The flights are scheduled to land at airports including New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kochi, Ahmedabad and Thiruvananthapuram.

Authorities however urged travellers not to proceed to Dubai International Airport or Al Maktoum International Airport unless they have been contacted directly by their airline with a confirmed departure time.

Dubai airspace is partially open, with only few commercial flights permitted. Emirates and IndiGo are operating a few flights on Wednesday and posting updates on their websites.

Etihad Airways said scheduled flights from Abu Dhabi remained cancelled and that operations were suspended until 2 pm local time on March 5, adding that some repositioning, cargo and repatriation flights may operate in coordination with UAE authorities.

Foreign carriers operating between India and the Gulf region are also undertaking limited operations, subject to operational and airspace considerations.

“Passenger safety remains paramount. All airlines have been advised to maintain transparent communication with passengers and ensure adherence to regulatory requirements concerning refunds, rescheduling, and passenger assistance,” the ministry said.

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, it added.