IndiGo on Saturday temporarily suspended flights to and from the Middle East in view of the evolving situation in Iran. The recent strike by the US and Israel on Iran has led to widespread flight disruptions across the Middle East. Airlines, including Emirates and Etihad, have faced airspace closures, impacting international travel. Airlines are rerouting or cancelling flights, emphasizing the need for passengers to monitor flight statuses closely.
“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. 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.
Meanwhile, Air India Express said that in view of the developing situation in parts of the Gulf region, it has suspended all west-bound international flights.“We continue to closely monitor the evolving situation and will proactively review and adjust our operations as necessary,” the airline said in a statement.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.
The geopolitical tensions instigated by a US and Israel strike on Iran have unleashed a ripple effect on air travel across the Middle East, causing significant flight disruptions. Key players affected include the long-haul carriers Emirates and Etihad, which were forced to close their airspace, contributing to the expansive travel chaos.
The United Arab Emirates and Israel sealed off their airspace on the weekend, escalating the problem. In a cascade of cancellations, Qatar Airways grounded flights at Doha, while planes heading to Israel were redirected. Dutch carrier KLM pre-emptively halted its flights to Tel Aviv, anticipating the rising tensions.
Furthermore, Virgin Atlantic has adjusted its flight paths, avoiding Iranian airspace and potentially lengthening routes to destinations including India and Riyadh. Turkish Airlines has imposed suspensions until Monday on major routes in the region, citing ongoing uncertainty and potential further cancellations.
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