IndiGo plans to operate 10 special relief flights from Jeddah to India on March 3 to help return passengers stranded after recent airspace disruptions, subject to required approvals and prevailing airspace conditions.
Limited operations began resuming Monday evening from Dubai, with Emirates, Flydubai and Etihad launching a restricted number of services to clear stranded travellers following volatile West Asian airspace conditions tied to the Iran–Israel–US conflict. Dubai Airports said the phased resumption covered select departures from Dubai International and Al Maktoum International, with airlines prioritising passengers holding earlier bookings and operating under strict safety constraints.
Carriers warned passengers not to travel to airports unless they have received direct confirmation. An Emirates spokesperson said only those rebooked on cleared services would be contacted and that other services remained suspended.
Etihad deployed 15 special flights from Abu Dhabi, including four services to India — Delhi, Mumbai, Kochi and Bengaluru — for passengers affected by cancellations who held prior tickets. Air India Express said it would resume services between Muscat and several Indian cities from March 3, with its first flight scheduled to Tiruchirappalli at 10:25 local time. Its operations to Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE remained suspended until late on March 3.
Several Indian aircraft, including IndiGo jets that had been held at Gulf airports, have started returning, signalling a gradual recovery even as cancellations continued across India. Officials from the Ministry of Civil Aviation said carriers were making calibrated adjustments and progressively resuming long‑haul and ultra‑long‑haul operations using alternative routings that avoid restricted airspace. Aircraft and crew repositioning measures are under way and special arrangements are being made to facilitate stranded passengers. Airlines are adding capacity where required and coordinating with foreign aviation authorities and Indian missions abroad to ensure safe and orderly movement.
On Monday, airlines cancelled 357 flights across India. Delhi recorded 50 departure and 37 arrival cancellations; Mumbai reported 116 disruptions (arrivals and departures); Kolkata experienced about 20 international cancellations involving major Gulf carriers; Chennai reported 28 cancellations; and three Gulf‑bound flights were grounded in Goa.
The situation remains complicated by regional airspace closures: Iraq extended the closure of its airspace to all flights until noon Wednesday, further affecting network planning.
The disruption has had wider international repercussions. About 30,000 German tourists were reported stranded across the Gulf, with Berlin ruling out military evacuation because of closed airspace; other countries pursued alternative plans and advised citizens to remain in hotels. Routes beyond West Asia were also affected, with services to Bali and Europe disrupted. Several carriers, including Air France and KLM, suspended key services, and US airlines saw market impacts as the crisis weighed on investor confidence.
