Flight cancellations due to West Asian crisis trouble telecom execs

Flight cancellations amid West Asia conflict disrupt travel plans of Indian telecom leaders headed to Mobile World Congress in Barcelona

Several executives from India’s telecom industry had to reschedule plans to attend the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona after hundreds of flights were cancelled amid escalating conflict in the West Asian region.

 

According to sources, many senior executives who were en route to Barcelona via Dubai or Doha were stuck in the cities due to closure of the respective airspaces after the US and Israel conducted air strikes on Iran on Saturday, which also led to flights to and from the region being scuttled.

 

Mobile World Congress is a global event focusing on the world’s telecoms market, technologies, services and companies, that takes place in Barcelona, Spain, every year. This year, the event began on March 2 and will go on till March 5.

   

A senior executive from a telecom equipment supplier told Business Standard that he was able to reach the event prior to February 28, while some of his colleagues who were coming in the latter days were unable to come. A chief executive officer from a leading telecoms service provider said that since flights were cancelled, his team and he were still in India, despite several media and partner meetings and scheduled public appearances planned at the event.

 

Key Indian executives at MWC this year include Bharti Airtel executive vice-chairman and GSMA chair Gopal Vittal and Jio Platforms president Mathew Oommen, among others. India’s Union Minister for Communications, Jyotiraditya Scindia, who reached Barcelona earlier today, is representing India at the MWC where he will inaugurate the Bharat Pavilion showcasing India’s growing telecom manufacturing capabilities and innovation ecosystem, and will deliver an address in the GSMA Ministerial Programme session “Built for What’s Next.” He will also deliver the Closing Keynote Session on “Breaking the Cost Barrier” at the GSMA Ministerial Stage and interact with global CEOs.