Indian airlines resume limited flights from West Asia: Details here

Following widespread cancellations triggered by military strikes on Iran, airlines begin phased operations, prioritising relief flights and stranded travellers

After three days of widespread flight cancellations and airspace closures across West Asia triggered by military strikes involving the US allies and Iran, a few major airports and carriers on Tuesday announced a partial resumption of flight operations.

 

The escalation in hostilities, which led to regional airspace closures from Iran to the Gulf Cooperation Council states, paralysed one of the world’s busiest international transit corridors over the weekend and left thousands of passengers stranded globally.

 

Authorities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) confirmed that a small number of flights restarted on Monday evening into Tuesday, as airspace restrictions gradually eased in some areas. Meanwhile, several Indian carriers, including IndiGo and Air India, laid out plans to operate limited flights from cities such as Jeddah and Muscat. 

 

Here is a look at the Indian airlines operating from the region:

IndiGo

India’s largest carrier said it will operate four flights from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Tuesday as part of efforts to progressively normalise operations between Saudi Arabia and India. The flights, scheduled for Mumbai, Hyderabad and Ahmedabad, are being arranged to cater to customers who were already booked and unable to travel due to the prevailing circumstances. 

According to IndiGo, all flights from Jeddah to India are sold out. Some services from Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Fujairah to India are also listed, though these too appear fully booked.  Moreover, IndiGo on Tuesday said that routes to and from Athens, Muscat, Jeddah and Madinah will be restored from Wednesday. It added that repatriation flights in the UAE will also operate on Wednesday, subject to slot availability and regulatory approvals.

Air India

Tata Group-owned Air India has suspended all its flight operations to and from West Asia till 11.50 pm on Tuesday. 

However, its low-cost arm Air India Express said it has resumed services from Muscat, Oman, to Delhi, Mumbai, Kochi, Kozhikode, Mangaluru and Tiruchirappalli from Tuesday. Flights to and from Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE remain suspended.

SpiceJet

SpiceJet said it is operating special flights from Fujairah, the UAE, to Delhi, Mumbai and Kochi to support Indian nationals travelling home. 

SpiceJet is operating special flights from Fujairah to Delhi, Mumbai and Kochi to support Indian nationals travelling home.  Standing by when it matters!  Jai Hind ????????#flyspicejet #spicejet pic.twitter.com/0wznG7hQgv

— SpiceJet (@flyspicejet) March 3, 2026

Akasa Air

Akasa Air said that following a comprehensive review, it will operate select flights from Jeddah to Mumbai and Ahmedabad on Tuesday and Wednesday.

#TravelUpdate: March 03, 2026 | 00:30 IST  Following a comprehensive safety review, we are operating select flights to and from Jeddah on March 03 and March 04, 2026:  March 03, 2026  • QP 561 Mumbai – Jeddah I ETD - 19:20  • QP 562 Jeddah – Mumbai I ETD - 23:55…

— Akasa Air (@AkasaAir) March 2, 2026

Apart from Indian carriers, some international airlines such as Emirates and Etihad are operating restricted services from the region to India and other destinations. 

Dubai International Airport has advised passengers to stay in touch with airlines and only travel to the airport after receiving confirmation. 

“We urge you not to come to the airport unless your airline has contacted you with a confirmed departure time. Please get in touch with your airline directly for the latest updates on flight schedules,” the airport said in a post on X. 

The three-day shutdown followed military action by the US and Israel against Iran, which resulted in retaliatory strikes by Tehran and widespread airspace closures across multiple West Asian states. Civil aviation regulators had deemed large areas unsafe for commercial traffic, prompting extensive travel disruptions.