New Delhi: The impact of increasing military tension in West Asia is now clearly visible on global aviation services. In this sequence, on March 5 (Thursday), Indian airlines had to cancel a total of 281 flights. This situation arose due to the continuously deteriorating situation in the region and closure of airspace by many countries.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) said that it is continuously monitoring the entire incident. The conflict in the Middle East has entered its fourth day, due to which both domestic and international routes of Indian Airlines have been affected and thousands of passengers are facing problems.
Flights affected due to conflict in West Asia
Tension in the Middle East increased further when America and Israel attacked Iran. Many prominent personalities including Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei were killed in these attacks. In response, Tehran retaliated against American targets and Israeli assets.
Due to this continuous military action, many countries closed their airspace, due to which Indian airlines had to suspend their operations.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation continues to closely monitor the evolving situation in West Asia. As of 5 March, a total of 281 flights scheduled to operate today by Indian domestic carriers have been cancelled. Passengers are advised to regularly monitor their flight status and…
— MoCA_GoI (@MoCA_GoI) March 5, 2026
170 international flights canceled at major airports
The biggest impact of the situation was seen at the major airports of the country. About 170 international flights were canceled from major airports like Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru on Thursday alone. Due to this the passengers had to face a lot of inconvenience.
The Civil Aviation Ministry, while sharing information about flight cancellation on social media platform X, appealed to the passengers to check the status of their flight through the official channels of the airlines before going to the airport.
Government took steps to help passengers
In view of the situation, the Civil Aviation Ministry has activated the 24-hour Passenger Assistance Control Room (PACR). According to the ministry, so far 1,461 complaints have been resolved through AirSewa, social media and helpline.
Helpline numbers have also been issued to assist stranded passengers. Passengers can get real-time assistance by contacting 011-24604283 or 011-24632987.
Special arrangements for passengers stranded in Gulf countries
The government is making special arrangements for Indian passengers stranded in Gulf countries. Fare monitoring is also being done to prevent sudden increase in fares. Apart from this, the ministry is trying to handle the situation in collaboration with airlines, airports, regulatory bodies and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
Some flight services are slowly beginning to resume after Saudi Arabia and Oman declared their airspace safe. Air India and Air India Express have resumed flights to Jeddah and Muscat.
Preparation to start additional flights
Airlines have also planned to start additional temporary flights for the convenience of passengers. Additional services to Dubai, Muscat and Ras Al Khaimah may be introduced by Friday if slots become available.
Airlines changed operating schedule
According to the situation, many airlines have made changes in their operations. IndiGo has prepared a schedule of 17 flights for eight destinations in the Middle East on Friday.
SpiceJet operated 13 special flights on Thursday, including Akasa Air’s Mumbai-Jeddah roundtrip flight. However, flights to Abu Dhabi, Doha, Riyadh and Kuwait will remain suspended till March 7.
Air India group services closed till March 10
Many services of Air India Group related to West Asia will remain suspended till March 10. At the same time, airlines like Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad, which depend on major hubs like Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha, are also being affected due to this crisis.
Indian Airlines may have a big economic impact
Credit agency S&P Global Ratings has warned that due to the large presence of Indian airlines in the Middle East, this crisis could have a huge economic impact on them.
Airlines operating on international routes may face serious challenges due to prolonged disruption in this important air transit hub connecting Europe, Asia and other regions.
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