IndiGo London-Mumbai flight diverted to Cairo; Delhi-Manchester returns

Another IndiGo flight operating from London Heathrow to Mumbai, diverted to Cairo on March 8 due to Flight Duty Time Limitations, and will resume its journey on March 10

Two IndiGo international flights faced disruption due to airspace restrictions and crew duty limitations, the airline and officials said on Monday.

 

Flight 6E002, operating from London Heathrow (LHR) to Mumbai (BOM), diverted to Cairo (CAI) on March 8 due to Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) after approval issues arose while entering Eritrean airspace, news agency PTI reported citing sources.  The service will operate on March 10 after the crew completes the mandatory rest period.

 

According to sources quoted by ANI, IndiGo arranged hotel accommodation and visas for passengers affected by the diversion.

Delhi-Manchester flight returns to origin

Earlier on Monday, another IndiGo service operating from New Delhi to Manchester returned to the national capital after encountering airspace restrictions.

   

The aircraft made a mid-air turnback near the Eritrean border in Africa and landed in Delhi at around 2:30 pm.

 

An IndiGo spokesperson said the development resulted from restrictions related to the 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 6E033 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,” the spokesperson said.

 

“We are working with the relevant authorities to explore the possibilities of resuming the journey. As always, the safety and security of our customers, crew, and aircraft are of utmost importance to us,” the spokesperson added.

Disruptions linked to West Asia conflict

IndiGo’s Europe flights remained suspended from February 28 after the United States and Israel carried out military strikes on Iran, triggering a fresh conflict in the Middle East.

 

The escalation led to the closure of several air routes in the region.

 

The airline said on March 7 that it would resume its Europe operations as airlines began restoring schedules following disruptions linked to the conflict and related airspace restrictions.

Longer routes for Europe operations

Industry executives said IndiGo’s Europe flights are currently taking a longer path due to restricted airspace.

 

The services, operated using Boeing 787 aircraft wet-leased from Norse Atlantic, now fly south from Mumbai over Africa before crossing the Red Sea into Egypt.

 

This change has increased the total journey time to about 10 hours and 30 minutes.

Advisory to avoid Middle East airspace

Norse Atlantic, a European airline, is avoiding Middle Eastern airspace after an advisory issued by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) asked European carriers to stay away from the region.

 

IndiGo also cannot use the Pakistan-Afghanistan air corridor, which previously served as a major route for westbound flights.

 

Pakistan continues to restrict Indian carriers from using its airspace following Operation Sindoor last year, further limiting routing options for Indian airlines operating long-haul services.