Indian carriers have rolled out 14 special relief flights on March 3 to bring back passengers stranded in the Middle East amid escalating tensions linked to the US-Israel and Iran conflict.
According to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, IndiGo will operate 10 special flights from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to various destinations in India. Meanwhile, SpiceJet has scheduled four special services from the UAE following sudden airspace closures that disrupted regular operations.
SpiceJet’s relief flights will operate from Fujairah to Delhi, Mumbai, and Kochi, including two services to Mumbai, to facilitate the early return of Indian nationals. The airline also announced that it will resume its scheduled services between Fujairah and Delhi and between Fujairah and Mumbai from March 4 to gradually normalize connectivity.
On Monday, around 357 flights were cancelled due to airspace restrictions and operational disruptions. However, flight operations began resuming by evening, with stranded Indian aircraft returning home. Airlines have undertaken calibrated schedule adjustments, particularly for long-haul and ultra-long-haul routes, using alternative routings to avoid restricted airspace.
The Civil Aviation Ministry stated that aircraft and crew repositioning measures are underway to restore operational stability at the earliest. Airlines are also deploying additional capacity where required and coordinating closely with foreign aviation authorities and Indian missions abroad to ensure safe passenger movement.
Foreign carriers operating between India and Gulf destinations have resumed limited services, subject to airspace conditions. The government emphasized that passenger safety remains the top priority and said it is in continuous coordination with airlines, airport operators, regulatory bodies, and the Ministry of External Affairs to ensure orderly restoration of services and assistance to affected travellers.
IndiGo, SpiceJet Operate Emergency Flights After Airspace Closures
