Flights between India, the UK, Europe, the Middle East and North America have been severely disrupted after the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran, triggering widespread airspace closures and diversions.
Iran and Iraq closed their airspace following what US President Donald Trump described as a “major combat operation”, forcing airlines to reroute services that would normally cross the region. With missiles launched from Israel towards Iran and retaliatory strikes from Iran, carriers have been steering clear of the affected airspace.
In an X post, the Air India said, "In view of the developing situation in parts of the Middle East, all Air India flights to all destinations in the Middle East have been suspended. We remain committed to maintaining the highest standards of safety for our passengers and crew. We will continue to assess the safety and security environment for our flight operations and adjust operations proactively as required. Our teams will be extending all necessary support to passengers."
Air India confirmed that its Delhi–Tel Aviv service, AI139, was instructed to return to Mumbai after Israeli airspace was closed. The aircraft was in Saudi airspace at the time of the decision.
In a statement, an Air India spokesperson said:
“AI139 operating from Delhi to Tel Aviv on Feb 28 is air returning to Mumbai due to closure of air space in Israel and in the interest of safety of passengers and crew. Air India regrets the inconvenience caused to passengers due to this unforeseen situation and remains committed to maintaining the highest standards of safety. We will continue to assess the safety and security environment for our flight operations and adjust operations proactively as needed.”
Another service, AI126 from Chicago to Delhi, was about to enter Iraqi airspace when it diverted via Syria, taking a longer route back to India.
People familiar with the matter said Air India had already stopped overflying Iraq on its night flights to and from Europe. Daytime US services that previously crossed Iraqi airspace have also ceased doing so.
The airline is working to evacuate crew from Tel Aviv and has requested clearance to use the Hotan waypoint in north-western China as an alternative routing option. If approved, the route over high mountainous terrain could allow Air India to avoid Pakistan airspace for flights to and from Europe, the UK and North America. Clearance has not yet been granted.
With airspace stretching westwards from Pakistan to Iraq effectively a no-go zone for Indian carriers, longer routings are expected. Some North America services may require fuelling halts in cities such as Vienna or Rome.
IndiGo also issued a travel advisory stating it was “closely monitoring regional updates concerning Iran and its airspace”.
In view of evolving airspace restrictions around Iran and the UAE, the airline said departures and arrivals across select international sectors are impacted.
“These measures have been instituted as the safety and security of our customers and crew is our highest priority. Our teams are continuously monitoring the evolving situation and recalibrating operations to minimise disruption as much as possible,” the advisory said.
Customers have been advised to check their flight status prior to departure. If flights are impacted, passengers may explore alternate travel options or opt for a full refund. IndiGo said it remains “fully committed to providing our unwavering support during this period”.
Qatar Airways halts operations amid airspace closure
Qatar Airways has temporarily suspended all flights to and from Doha following the closure of Qatari airspace, the airline said in a post on X.
In its statement, the carrier confirmed that services were halted due to the airspace shutdown and said it is coordinating closely with government stakeholders and relevant authorities to assist affected passengers. Operations will resume once the airspace reopens, it added.
“Qatar Airways Group confirms the temporary suspension of its flights to, and from, Doha due to the closure of Qatari airspace. The airline is working closely with government stakeholders and the relevant authorities to support impacted passengers and will resume operations when the airspace re-opens. Once usual operations resume, we anticipate delays to our flight schedule. We have also deployed additional ground staff at Hamad International Airport and other key airports to assist affected passengers. The safety of our passengers and employees is always our highest priority, and we apologise for any inconvenience caused,” the airline said.
UK and European flights severely affected
According to The Independent, flights between Western Europe and the Middle East have been severely disrupted.
A video from the flight tracking service Flightradar24 showed the usual overnight stream of aircraft from the Gulf crossing north-east Iraq. From around 6am GMT, however, aircraft were instead flying west over Saudi Arabia as routes shifted to avoid closed airspace.
Virgin Atlantic grounded its London Heathrow–Dubai flight on Saturday “as a precautionary measure”. Flight VS400 had been due to depart at 10.10pm, with the Airbus A350 scheduled to return on Sunday morning.
A Virgin Atlantic spokesperson told The Independent, “The safety and security of our customers and people is always our top priority and we apologise for any inconvenience caused. We are contacting affected customers regarding their travel arrangements. Due to the escalation of conflict in the Middle East, we have made the decision to temporarily avoid the airspace of Iraq, resulting in some pre-planned rerouting of our flights.”
Wizz Air has suspended all flights to and from Israel, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Amman with immediate effect until 7 March.
A spokesperson for the airline was quoted by The Independent as saying that it is closely monitoring developments and remains in contact with aviation safety agencies and relevant authorities, adding that passengers with affected bookings will be contacted directly with information regarding their options.
Several other airlines have grounded operations to and from Tel Aviv, including Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, Air France, KLM, Aegean Airlines and Flydubai.
An overnight British Airways flight from London Heathrow to Doha also turned around mid-journey.
