International air traffic has been hit hard amid rising military tensions in the Middle East. Air India has extended the suspension of all its flights to UAE, Saudi Arabia, Israel and Qatar till 11:59 pm on Monday. The airline said the decision was taken due to restricted airspace and operational limitations in West Asia.
Air India has also announced that some Europe-bound flights scheduled on March 2 have also been cancelled. According to the airline, airspace closures in parts of the Middle East have affected routes to Europe, disrupting operations.
The maximum impact was seen at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi Airport, where many international flights were canceled or delayed. In a travel advisory issued on March 1, the airport administration had appealed to passengers to come to the airport only after confirming flight status with the airline. According to sources, around 100 flights were canceled here amid the changing circumstances.
Widespread disruption was also recorded at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport. 125 flights were canceled here. Tiruchirappalli International Airport in southern India saw 17 arrivals and 16 departures canceled on March 1, while additional cancellations were reported for March 2 as well.
The impact of airspace restrictions was not limited to Indian airlines only. Air India Express canceled over 110 flights due to operational limitations. Dubai-based Emirates temporarily suspended its services until 3pm (UAE time) on March 2. At the same time, flight operations at Doha’s Hamad International Airport were temporarily stopped after Qatar’s airspace was closed.
The disruption comes as regional tensions have intensified following joint missile strikes by the US and Israel on Iran. Several West Asian countries have closed their airspace due to security reasons, affecting major international routes from India to Europe and the Gulf countries.
Airlines have advised passengers to regularly check the status of their flights as schedules are subject to rapid change depending on security conditions. At present, there is uncertainty over the global aviation network due to the ongoing tensions in the region.
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