The recent conflict in West Asia and resulting airspace restrictions have severely impacted Air India, IndiGo, and other airlines’ operations. Air India and IndiGo, heavily reliant on West Asian corridors due to their inability to overfly Pakistan, have been forced to cancel numerous flights. On March 1, Air India cancelled 50 flights to Europe and North America, while IndiGo ceased flights to Europe, the UK, and Turkey until midnight on March 2. Though Air India rerouted some North American flights, delays and refuelling stops were necessitated.
Air India cancelled key flights from Mumbai, Delhi, and Bengaluru to Europe and North America. For March 2, further cancellations were announced, impacting routes to destinations like Zurich, Copenhagen, and Birmingham. IndiGo also halted flights to major European cities and extended its suspension of flights to Central Asian destinations.
The cascading flight disruptions have left thousands of passengers stranded, with West Asia’s major transit hubs severely affected. The DGCA has advised Indian carriers to avoid the risky airspace and monitor updates closely. Air India and IndiGo remain committed to safety and are assisting affected passengers with alternative arrangements. The prolonged airspace closures threaten to significantly disrupt Indian airlines’ operations and increase operational costs due to longer routes.