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Air India and Air India Express will operate their respective scheduled services to and from Jeddah and Muscat on 10 March 2026, with the airspaces over
Saudi Arabia and Oman remaining open. The two airlines will together operate a total of 14 flights to and from Jeddah and Air India Express will operate 14 flights to and from Muscat, the airline said in a statement. On 10 March 2026, Air India will operate one round-trip from Delhi and two round trips from Mumbai to Jeddah, and Air India Express will operate one round-trip each from Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Mangaluru, and Kozhikode. Air India Express will also operate its scheduled services to Muscat, including one round-trip each from Delhi, Kannur, Kochi, Mumbai, Thiruvananthapuram and Tiruchirappalli, it added. In addition to the scheduled services, Air India and Air India Express would operate a total of 32 ad-hoc non-scheduled flights between Indian cities and United Arab Emirates (UAE) on 10 March 2026, subject to availability of slots and other conditions prevailing at the respective point of departure at the time. These flights are being operated with the requisite permissions from the relevant Indian and local regulatory authorities. While Air India would operate 10 non-scheduled flights to and from Dubai, including three roundtrips from Mumbai and two round-trips from Delhi, Air India Express will operate one round-trip each to Dubai from Mumbai and Bengaluru. Air India Express will operate 18 non-scheduled flights to and from other emirates of the UAE, including one round-trip each to Abu Dhabi from Bengaluru and Mumbai, one round-trip each to Sharjah from Bengaluru and Mumbai, and one-round trip each to Ras Al-Khaimah from Delhi, Bengaluru, Kochi, and two round-trips from Mumbai.
IndiGo operates 165 flights to Middle East in five days
IndiGo has begun progressively rebuilding its scheduled flight network across the Middle East and Europe amid continuing volatility in the region, the airline said on Monday.
The carrier restarted flights in a staggered manner to select destinations in the Middle East from March 3 and has since operated more than 165 flights, flying over 22,000 passengers between India and the region in the past five days.
IndiGo said it is working closely with relevant authorities in India and at international destinations to restore services while maintaining operational safety.
From March 8, the airline also reinstated its long-haul operations using Boeing B787-9 Dreamliner aircraft taken on wet or damp lease from Norse Atlantic Airways. These aircraft are being used to operate services connecting India with Manchester, Amsterdam and London.
IndiGo has also been operating flights between Athens and Delhi and Mumbai using its Airbus A321XLR aircraft.
On March 9, the airline operated or planned to operate 38 flights linking India with 12 destinations across the Middle East and Europe.
Over 1,000 Stranded Indians Leave Doha in 3 Days; More Flights Planned for March 10
More than 300 stranded Indian passengers returned to New Delhi on a Qatar Airways flight from Doha on Monday morning, the Embassy of India in Doha said in an advisory issued on March 9. The embassy thanked Qatar Airways for operating the flight and cooperating with it to facilitate the travel.
Altogether, close to 1,000 Indians stranded in Doha on transit or short-term visits have departed on Qatar Airways flights over the last three days, the advisory said.
The embassy also expressed gratitude to Qatar Airways for facilitating the urgent repatriation of mortal remains of an Indian national who died of natural causes, along with travel for the family concerned on humanitarian grounds. It also thanked Indian community volunteers for assisting the family.
According to the advisory, Qatar Airways is planning three flights to Delhi, Mumbai and Kochi on March 10. Stranded Indian passengers have been encouraged to use these flights to travel to India. The embassy, however, cautioned that flight operations remain challenging under the current situation and there could be sudden changes, urging passengers to stay in touch with the airlines regarding travel plans.
The embassy said the option of travelling to Saudi Arabia via the Salwa border crossing remains available for those holding a Saudi visa. Several Indians have taken this route to board flights to India from Saudi Arabia since the conflict began. The mission added that it has been taking up cases of stranded passengers for requesting Saudi visas and thanked Qatari and Saudi authorities for their cooperation.
The Embassy of India, with support from volunteers of the Indian community, continues to operate three 24/7 helplines — +974-55647502, +974-55362508 and +974-55384683 — for queries. It is also responding to WhatsApp messages and emails sent to cons.doha@mea.gov.in
Air India Announces Additional Flights
Air India on Saturday announced that it will operate additional flights to several destinations in Europe and the United States between March 10 and March 18 to meet sustained travel demand amid the ongoing situation in West Asia. The airline said it will add 78 additional flights on nine routes, providing more travel options for passengers at a time when international travel options remain constrained. The extra flights will connect India with key international destinations including New York (JFK), London (Heathrow), Frankfurt, Paris (Charles de Gaulle), Amsterdam and Zurich, along with regional routes to Malé and Colombo.
The additional services will operate on the following routes: Delhi–New York (JFK), Delhi–London (Heathrow), Mumbai–London (Heathrow), Delhi–Frankfurt, Delhi–Paris (CDG), Delhi–Amsterdam, Delhi–Zurich, Delhi–Malé and Delhi–Colombo.
According to the airline, the additional flights will add 17,660 seats across the nine routes in both directions.
Air India said the extra flights to European destinations will be operated using Boeing 787-8 aircraft, while the services to Malé and Colombo will be operated with Airbus A320neo aircraft.
Flights to New York (JFK) will be operated using Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, subject to the necessary regulatory approvals.
The airline said the move is aimed at providing reliable travel options for passengers as the aviation sector continues to adjust routes and schedules due to developments in West Asia.
Akasa Air To Operate Select Flights
Akasa Air on Monday said it will operate select flights to and from Jeddah connecting Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Kochi and Kozhikode until March 31 following a comprehensive safety review and assessment of the situation in the Middle East.
In a travel update, the airline said the decision was taken after evaluating the prevailing conditions in the region to allow passengers to plan their travel in advance.
According to the airline, the operation of these flights will continue to be based on the prevailing situation and ongoing safety assessments and may be subject to change. Akasa Air also said that flights to and from Abu Dhabi and Riyadh will remain suspended until March 11, 2026.
Additionally, services to and from Doha and Kuwait will remain suspended until March 15, 2026.
The airline further announced an extension of its cancellation and rescheduling charges waiver policy for passengers booked to or from the affected cities until March 31.
Passengers impacted by the changes can opt for a full refund, which will be credited to the original source of payment within seven days, or reschedule their travel at no additional cost, the airline said.
For bookings made through travel partners, passengers have been advised to contact the respective partners directly for assistance.
Akasa Air has also urged travellers to check the status of their flights before heading to the airport to avoid inconvenience.
Passengers can check the latest flight status through the airline’s website or the Akasa Air mobile application available on Android and iOS platforms. For further assistance, passengers may contact the airline’s 24x7 Akasa Care Centre at +91 9606112131.
IndiGo Flight Update
An IndiGo flight operating from Delhi to Manchester was forced to return to its origin on Monday (March 9) after taking off earlier in the afternoon. According to flight tracking data, flight 6E33 departed from Delhi at around 1:13 pm but later made a U-turn near the Ethiopia border and headed back to Delhi. In a statement, IndiGo said the aircraft had to return due to last-minute airspace restrictions linked to the evolving situation in West Asia.
"Due to the evolving situation in and around the Middle East, some of our flights may take longer routes or experience diversions. Our flight 6E 033 operating from Delhi to Manchester had to return to its origin due to last minute airspace restrictions, owing to the ongoing situation in West Asia. We are working with the relevant authorities to explore the possibilities of resuming the journey. As always, safety and security of our customers, crew and aircraft is of utmost importance to us," the airline said, adding that it is coordinating with authorities to explore options to resume the journey.
Flight operations across West Asia remain heavily disrupted amid the ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran, with several major aviation hubs witnessing widespread cancellations and airspace restrictions since February 28. Airports in key regional hubs such as Dubai, Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar have seen large-scale flight disruptions as airlines struggle to navigate restricted airspace across the Gulf and parts of the Middle East. However, Indian airlines are set to operate around 50 flights on Monday (March 9) to support passengers affected by the ongoing disruptions in West Asia, according to the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain News Live Updates
SpiceJet in a post on X said, "SpiceJet continues to operate multiple special flights from Dubai to India to support passenger travel and ensure smoother connectivity. Passengers are requested to check their flight status before leaving for the airport."
Limited Flight Services Resume - AirIndia, IndiGo Announce Special Flights
Despite the disruptions, several major airlines including Emirates, Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways have resumed limited operations, mainly focusing on repatriation flights and essential routes.
Indian carriers such as Air India, IndiGo, Akasa Air and SpiceJet have also restarted select services connecting India with major Middle Eastern airports including Dubai International Airport, Jeddah and Fujairah.
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Air India and Air India Express together plan to run 24 scheduled flights to Jeddah and Muscat on Monday. In addition, the airlines are preparing to operate 32 ad-hoc flights from multiple cities in the UAE, subject to slot availability, regulatory approvals and operational conditions.
Air India has also announced plans to operate 78 additional flights across nine international routes between March 10 and March 18 to help accommodate passengers impacted by the regional situation. Meanwhile, SpiceJet is expected to operate at least three flights from Dubai and Fujairah to India on Monday.
While other domestic airlines are yet to release their schedules, the government said Indian carriers are expected to run around 50 flights in total on Monday as part of efforts to manage travel disruptions and assist stranded passengers.
Delhi Airport Issues Advisory Over West Asia Conflict
Delhi airport on Monday issued an advisory in a post on X saying, “Due to the current situation in the Middle East some westbound international flights may face delays or changes to their schedules. Passengers are encouraged to check the latest information with their respective airlines before travelling to the airport.”
Over 52,000 Indians Return Home
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, more than 52,000 Indian nationals returned to the country between March 1 and March 7 amid the airspace closures across the Gulf region.
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Of these travellers, 32,107 passengers were brought back by Indian carriers, while the rest returned through foreign airlines or other available routes. Passenger movement data on March 7 showed that 51 inbound flights operated by Indian carriers arrived in India from the region carrying 8,175 passengers, the Ministry of Civil Aviation said.
The ministry said additional flights are being planned in the coming days to facilitate the safe return of more Indian nationals who were in transit or on short-term visits in Middle Eastern countries.
Hundreds of Flights Cancelled
The Ministry of Civil Aviation said that as of March 8, 279 flights scheduled by Indian domestic airlines had been cancelled due to the evolving situation in West Asia.
The ministry has advised passengers to closely monitor flight updates and stay in contact with their airlines for the latest information regarding schedules and rebooking options.
Charter Flights and Assistance for Stranded Travellers
Travel platform EaseMyTrip has also announced plans to operate charter flights from Doha and Bahrain to Delhi and Mumbai to assist Indian travellers seeking urgent evacuation.
Meanwhile, Indian missions in several West Asian countries are coordinating with authorities and airlines to track stranded citizens and facilitate their return.
Officials said repatriation efforts will continue in the coming days depending on airspace conditions and security assessments across the region.
