Domestic carriers are set to operate 96 flights to and from the Middle East on Friday, while 278 international services have been canceled for the day, the government said amid the ongoing regional conflict.
Flight operations have been disrupted due to airspace restrictions and closures. Some airlines have resumed limited services to and from the region, where tensions involving the US, Israel, and Iran have intensified over the past few days.
In a post on
MoCA further advised the passengers to keep a close watch on the latest flight updates, and to “remain attentive to communication shared by their respective airlines through registered contact details.”
Further informing about the assistance provided by the Ministry, MoCA noted, “In our efforts to ensure timely passenger assistance during this period, the Passenger Assistance Control Room (PACR) of the Ministry of Civil Aviation is functioning 24×7, coordinating closely with airlines and other stakeholders. So far, 1,881 passenger grievances have been addressed through AirSewa, social media platforms and helpline calls.”
Passengers requiring support may contact the Ministry’s PACR helpline numbers: 011-24604283 / 011-24632987.
33 flights canceled at Bangalore airport
At Bangalore Airport, a total of 33 flights were cancelled, including 15 departures and 18 arrivals, while Delhi Airport saw 15 departures and 14 arrivals cancelled, PTI reported citing officials.
Officials noted that Kolkata Airport had 7 cancellations—4 departures and 3 arrivals.
The ongoing conflict between US–Israel and Iran has disrupted flight operations, with parts of Middle Eastern airspace remaining closed.
Meanwhile, Akasa Air announced it will operate its Mumbai–Jeddah–Mumbai flight on Friday.
The airline, on Saturday, would operate flights from Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Kochi to Jeddah, it said in a post on X.
Earlier in the day, SpiceJet said it would operate 14 special flights from the UAE to bring back stranded passengers.
On Thursday, the civil aviation ministry said it continues to closely monitor the evolving situation in West Asia and that a total of 281 flights scheduled to be operated by Indian domestic carriers on Thursday were cancelled.
With airspace over Saudi Arabia and Oman remaining open and deemed safe, Air India and Air India Express have resumed flights to and from Jeddah and Muscat, the airline said Thursday.
However, Air India Group’s scheduled services to other destinations in West Asia remain suspended until March 10 due to ongoing airspace closures across several countries in the region.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation has advised passengers to closely monitor flight updates and pay attention to communications from their airlines via registered contact details.
The Passenger Assistance Control Room (PACR) is coordinating with airlines and other stakeholders to resolve issues. According to the ministry, 1,881 passenger grievances have been addressed so far through AirSewa, social media platforms, and helpline calls.
(With inputs from agencies)
