Indian Airlines Suspend Flights Amid Middle East Crisis Despite Ceasefire Hopes
Indian and international airlines have suspended or diverted numerous flights as tensions in the Middle East continue to disrupt global air travel, despite tentative hopes for a ceasefire.
The crisis was triggered by Iranian missile strikes on a U.S. military base in Qatar, reportedly in retaliation for American attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities. In response, countries including Qatar and Kuwait swiftly shut their airspace, causing a ripple effect across airline networks.
Air India announced it has suspended all flights to the Middle East, Europe, and five cities in the United States and Canada. “Amid the developing situation in the Middle East, Air India has ceased all operations to the region as well as to and from the East Coast of North America and Europe with immediate effect,” the airline said.
Affected destinations include Muscat, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, Dammam, and Dubai. The carrier also began diverting North America-bound flights back to origin airports or rerouting them away from restricted airspace.
Air India Express, which operates in over 15 Middle Eastern cities, confirmed temporary suspension of operations to the region.
IndiGo said on Tuesday that it was cautiously resuming operations in the Middle East as airports begin to reopen. “We continue to monitor the situation closely and are fully considering the safest available flight paths to ensure secure and seamless travel,” the airline said in a statement on X (formerly Twitter).
SpiceJet and Akasa Air also noted disruptions to select services.
In India, flight operations have been significantly impacted. Delhi airport reported at least 20 cancelled departures and 28 cancelled arrivals since Monday night. Lucknow’s Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport advised passengers to check flight statuses before heading to the terminal.
An evacuation flight under Operation Sindhu was also affected. The flight, carrying 160 Indians who had crossed from Israel into Jordan, was forced to return to Kuwait midway due to regional airspace closures. “The evacuees are calm and waiting for further instructions,” said Arvind Shukla, a passenger aboard the flight.
Flights began to resume at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport on Tuesday following partial reopening of affected airspace. Emirates, Etihad Airways, and Air Arabia restarted services to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah, though delays continued earlier in the day.
Other cancellations included flights by Qatar Airways to Doha, Kuwait Airways to Kuwait, and IndiGo to Sharjah. Authorities at Thiruvananthapuram and Cochin airports set up additional counters and deployed staff to manage passenger congestion and disruptions, with Cochin recording at least 17 flight delays or diversions.
Globally, the crisis impacted major carriers. Bahrain and Kuwait briefly closed their airspace before reopening. Dubai Airports resumed operations but warned of ongoing delays. Dozens of flights to Doha and Dubai were diverted. Iberia reversed plans to resume services to Doha, and several major airlines—including Finnair, Singapore Airlines, British Airways, and Air France KLM—cancelled flights to cities including Dubai, Riyadh, and Beirut.
Air France suspended operations to Beirut until Wednesday, and Finnair extended its Doha suspension until June 30. American Airlines, United Airlines, and Air Canada had earlier halted flights to Qatar and Dubai.
With Russian and Ukrainian airspace already closed due to ongoing conflict, the Middle East had become a vital corridor for routes between Europe and Asia. Airlines are now rerouting through the Caspian Sea, Egypt, or Saudi Arabia, according to aviation data firm Cirium.
Aviation risk firm Osprey Flight Solutions warned of continued threats to U.S. military sites in the region. Swiss company SkAI reported over 150 GPS spoofing incidents within 24 hours in the Persian Gulf, further raising flight safety concerns.
“It all happened so fast,” said Miret Padovani, a stranded passenger at Doha’s Hamad International Airport. “People in the first-class lounge were already talking about missiles before the news even broke.”
Despite emerging diplomatic signals toward de-escalation, the situation remains fluid, with thousands of passengers and global airlines still caught in the crosshairs of a volatile conflict.
