Scheduled Services Resume
As key airspaces over Saudi Arabia and Oman have been reopened, Air India and Air India Express are re-establishing their flight operations to several
destinations in the Middle East. On March 8, the airlines will be running scheduled services to Muscat in Oman and Jeddah in Saudi Arabia. Air India is maintaining its routes connecting Delhi and Mumbai with Jeddah, while Air India Express will operate services between Muscat and cities like Delhi, Kochi, Kozhikode, Mangaluru, Mumbai, and Kannur. Additionally, Air India Express is facilitating connections between Jeddah and Bengaluru, Kozhikode, and Mangaluru, ensuring continued connectivity for passengers on these vital routes. These scheduled flights are crucial for resuming normal travel patterns in the region.
Expanded UAE Network
Beyond scheduled operations, Air India and Air India Express are launching a significant number of additional, non-scheduled flights primarily targeting the United Arab Emirates on March 8. Air India will operate extra flights connecting Delhi and Mumbai with Dubai. Complementing this, Air India Express is set to run an impressive 30 additional flights across various UAE cities, including Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Ras Al Khaimah, and Sharjah. These extra services are specifically designated to assist travelers who may have been stranded or affected by prior disruptions, with priority given to those holding existing bookings with the carriers, ensuring a smoother transit experience.
Oman and Saudi Routes
On March 8, Air India Express is set to operate seven distinct routes to Muscat, Oman. These include round trips between Mumbai and Muscat (IX235/IX236), Delhi and Muscat (IX163/IX164), Kochi and Muscat (IX431/IX432 and IX441/IX442), Kozhikode and Muscat (IX337/IX338 and IX318/IX317), and Thiruvananthapuram and Muscat (IX550/IX549). For Saudi Arabia, Air India is providing services between Delhi and Jeddah (AI2255/AI2256) and Mumbai and Jeddah (AI2245/AI2246). Air India Express is also offering connections to Jeddah from Kozhikode (IX397/IX398), Mangaluru (IX845/846), and Bengaluru (IX941/942), subject to regulatory approvals. Passengers are urged to verify the latest information directly with the airlines.
UAE Additional Flights
A substantial number of additional flights are planned for March 8 to and from four airports in the UAE, with Air India and Air India Express operating a total of 15 routes. In Dubai, Air India will fly from Mumbai to Dubai and back (AI4201/AI4202), and Delhi to Dubai and back (AI4205/AI4206). Air India Express is also running Mumbai-Dubai (IX2117/IX2118, IX1117/IX1118) and Delhi-Dubai (IX2115/IX2116) routes, alongside Bengaluru-Dubai (IX1115/IX1116). Ras Al Khaimah will see services from Mumbai (IX1121/IX1122, IX6605/IX6606), Kochi (IX1123/IX1125), Delhi (IX6603/IX6604), and Bengaluru (IX6701/IX6702) by Air India Express. Abu Dhabi will be connected from Mumbai (IX257/IX268) and Bengaluru (IX865/IX866) by Air India Express. Sharjah will have flights from Mumbai (IX251/IX252) and Bengaluru (IX6607/IX6608) operated by Air India Express. Additionally, Air India Express is adding two Muscat routes: Mumbai-Muscat (IX1112/IX1113) and Delhi-Muscat (IX6601/IX6602).
Passenger Support
In light of the flight adjustments, both airlines are offering flexibility to passengers affected by cancellations. Air India Express has cancelled all scheduled flights to and from Bahrain, Dammam, Doha, Kuwait, and Riyadh until March 13. Similarly, Air India has cancelled its scheduled flights to Dammam, Doha, and Riyadh until March 10. For those whose flights are cancelled, options include rebooking to a future date without any additional charges or opting for a complete refund. Passengers are encouraged to visit the respective airline websites for rebooking or cancellation requests, or to contact their 24x7 customer support hotlines for further assistance.
