444 international flights from India canceled amid Iran-Israel war, Air India-Indigo-Qatar-Etihad stopped services

New Delhi: Tension has reached its peak in the Middle East. Iran has warned of strict retaliation after the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in joint attacks by America and Israel. This war-like situation has closed the airspace of the entire region, which is directly impacting global flights. A large number of international flights from India are also being cancelled, and thousands of passengers are stranded.

Fear of cancellation of 444 flights from India on Sunday

The Civil Aviation Ministry and DGCA said on Saturday that 410 flights had already been canceled on February 28 due to airspace restrictions in West Asia. 444 international flights are likely to be canceled on Sunday (1 March 2026). DGCA is continuously coordinating with the airlines to ensure that the safety rules are strictly followed and there is minimum inconvenience to the passengers.

Air India put brakes on many major routes

Air India has canceled several important international flights after reviewing the situation in the region. These include Mumbai-London Heathrow, Delhi-Birmingham, Delhi-Amsterdam, Delhi-Zurich, Delhi-Milan, Delhi-Vienna, Bengaluru-London Heathrow, Delhi-Copenhagen, Delhi-London Heathrow.

The airline said that the safety of passengers and crew is of utmost importance. Affected passengers are being informed through SMS/email and assistance is being provided in rebooking/alternative arrangements. Passengers are appealed to get updates from the website or 24×7 call centre.

Indigo extended the suspension till March 2 night

In a post on Twitter, IndiGo said that in view of the situation in the airspace in the Middle East and surrounding areas, some international flights are temporarily suspended. This suspension has now been extended till March 2, 2026 at 11:59 pm. The complete list of canceled flights is available on the company’s website.

Qatar Airways: completely closed

Qatar Airways announced that all of its flights have been temporarily suspended due to the closure of Qatar’s airspace. This decision has been taken on the instructions of Qatar Civil Aviation Authority.

Flights from Abu Dhabi halted till March 2

Etihad said that all flights to and from Abu Dhabi will remain suspended until 2 am on March 2, 2026 (UAE time). This step has been taken due to regional airspace restrictions.

The pain of stranded Indians is on social media

Thousands of Indian passengers are stranded at hubs like Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha. Pictures and videos are going viral on social media, where people are expressing the crowd at the airport, the uncertainty and the anxiety of returning home. Many have appealed to the government and airlines for immediate relief.

This situation is changing rapidly. Experts say Iran’s retaliatory attacks and regional restrictions could cause further disruption to air traffic. Passengers are advised to keep regular updates from the airlines’ official website, app or helpline.