New Delhi: In a massive logistical undertaking triggered by the sudden escalation of conflict in West Asia, Indian and international airlines have successfully repatriated more than 88,000 passengers over the last seven days.
This emergency evacuation follows a period of intense disruption that began on February 28, leaving tens of thousands of Indian nationals stranded across various Gulf countries. The scale of the crisis is underscored by the staggering number of flight cancellations, with Indian carriers alone forced to cancel more than 2,600 scheduled operations since the hostilities intensified at the end of February.
The tide began to turn on March 2, when airlines initiated limited rescue operations to bridge the gap between India and the Middle East. According to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, over the course of the subsequent week, a total of 452 flights were operated to bring citizens home.
Indian airlines shouldered the majority of this burden, operating 286 flights that carried 49,198 passengers, while foreign carriers supplemented the effort with 166 flights transporting an additional 38,710 individuals. While many airlines participated in this humanitarian corridor, the bulk of the traffic was managed by a trio of major players in the airline industry. IndiGo led the charge by carrying 20,901 passengers, followed by Emirates with 18,286, and Air India, which flew 10,745 people to safety.
The impact on domestic aviation hubs has been severe, particularly at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport. On Monday alone, the facility saw 71 flights cancelled, consisting of 35 arrivals and 36 departures.
To date, approximately 830 flights to and from Mumbai have been removed from the schedules due to the volatile regional situation. Despite these challenges, the Ministry of Civil Aviation reports a steady flow of inbound traffic.
On Saturday, 51 flights operated by Indian carriers arrived with 8,175 passengers, followed by 49 flights on Sunday arriving from key hubs such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah, Muscat, and Jeddah. To maintain this momentum, Indian carriers have scheduled more flights to continue the repatriation process.
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