London: IndiGo on Saturday, February 28, temporarily suspended flights to and from the Middle East in view of the US and Israel’s attack on Iran. Meanwhile, Air India Express said that it has suspended all west-bound international flights.
“In view of evolving airspace restrictions around Iran and the Middle East, all flights to and from the Middle East are cancelled till 0000 hrs,” it said in a post on X.
The suspension is till 0000 hours IST.
Hyderabad flights affected
IndiGo later released a statement saying that due to Doha and Bahrain closing their airspace, the following departures and arrivals to Hyderabad have been cancelled.
Departures:
- 6E-1315 /STD:1700 hrs to HYD – DOH
- 6E-1421/ STD 19:25 hrs to HYD – SHJ
- 6E1407/STD: 1950 hrs to HYD – AUH
- 6E1233/STD: 2120 hrs to HYD- KWI
- 6E85/STD: 2210 hrs to HYD – DMM
- 6E2495/STD: 2300 hrs to HYD – RKT
Arrivals:
- 6E 1316/STA 01:55hrs, DOH – HYD
- 6E1449/STA 00:45hrs, AUH – HYD
- 6E1466/STA 03:24hrs, DXB – HYD
- 6E1408/ STA 04:45hrs, AUH-HYD
Services have been suspended to and from Dubai, Jeddah, Doha, Abu Dhabi, Dammam, Bahrain, Sharjah, Kuwait and Ras Al-Khaimah, according to a source.
The airline said these measures have been instituted as the safety and security of its customers and crew is the highest priority.
“Our teams are continuously monitoring the evolving situation and recalibrating operations to minimise disruption as much as possible,” it added.
Later, Air India, in a statement, said it has suspended all its West Asia-bound flights in view of the developing situation in the region.
“In view of the developing situation in parts of the Middle East, all Air India flights to all destinations in the Middle East have been suspended,” Air India said in a post on X.
The airline further said it remains committed to maintaining the “highest standards” of safety for its passengers and crew.
“We will continue to assess the safety and security environment for our flight operations and adjust operations proactively as required. Our teams will be extending all necessary support to passengers,” it said.
Earlier, Air India said its Delhi-Tel Aviv flight was returning to India due to the closure of Israeli airspace. The flight would land in Mumbai.
Flight disruptions in Middle East
Additionally, the United Arab Emirates, home to both the long-haul carriers Emirates and Etihad, and Israel closed their airspace on Saturday. Qatar Airways Group said it has temporarily cancelled flights to and from Doha because Qatari airspace was also closed.
Planes that were en route to Israel were rerouted to other airports, and passengers who were at Ben Gurion International Airport awaiting flights were shuttled back.
Emirates said several of its flights were affected by the UAE airspace closure and urged passengers to check their flight status online. The carrier is based at Dubai International Airport, the busiest hub for international travel.
Dutch airline KLM had already announced earlier in the week that it was suspending flights to and from Tel Aviv starting Sunday.
Virgin Atlantic cancelled its flight from Heathrow Airport in London to Dubai and said it would avoid flying over Iraq, meaning flights to and from India, the Maldives, Dubai and Riyadh could take slightly longer.
The airline already was not flying over Iran. Virgin Atlantic said all flights would carry appropriate fuel in case they need to reroute on short notice.
Turkish Airlines said on X that flights to Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Iran and Jordan will be suspended until Monday and flights to Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Oman would be suspended on Saturday.
The airline said additional cancellations may be announced.
Flight operations at Dubai International (DXB) and Dubai World Central – Al Maktoum International (DWC) were also suspended until further notice, and passengers were asked not to travel to the airport.
“Dubai Airports confirms that all flight operations at Dubai International (DXB) and Dubai World Central – Al Maktoum International (DWC) are suspended until further notice. Passengers are advised not to travel to the airport at this time and to contact their respective airlines directly for the latest updates regarding their flights. We appreciate the cooperation of our guests. Further updates will be provided as we continue to monitor the situation.”
(With inputs from agencies.)
