Air India Halts Flights to Europe, U.S. East Coast, and Middle East Amid Regional Conflict
The suspension comes after Iran launched an attack on a U.S. military base in Qatar earlier on Monday.
Air India said Monday that it is suspending all service to Europe and North America East Coast due to rising tensions in the Middle East and several airspace closures. Flights to the Middle East have also been temporarily halted.
'Amid the developing situation in the Middle East, Air India has ceased all operations to the region as well as to and from the East Coast of North America and Europe with immediate effect, until further notice,' an Air India spokesperson said in a statement. 'Our India-bound flights from North America are diverting back to their respective origins and others are being diverted back to India or re-routed away from the closed airspaces.'
The suspension comes after Air India previously said it would reduce long-haul international flying in response to enhanced safety inspections following a fatal plane crash and multiple airspace closures around the world.
On the East Coast, the carrier flies to New York JFK, Washington, D.C., and Toronto. In Europe, Air India operates routes to London, Paris, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Milan, Zurich, and Vienna. And in the Middle East, Air India flies to the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Qatar.
'We request the understanding of all passengers who may be affected by this disruption that's beyond an airline's control. Air India is in continuous consultation with its external security advisors and is vigilantly monitoring the evolving situation,' the spokesperson said. 'We will keep our passengers informed of any updates. The safety and security of our passengers and staff remain our number one priority.'
Qatar Closes Airspace
Earlier on Monday, Qatar closed its airspace after Iran threatened to retaliate against the U.S. Shortly after the attack, the UAE temporarily closed its airspace. About an hour after Qatar announced the closure, Iran launched an attack on the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, the largest U.S. military base in the region. Israel also launched an attack on Tehran on Monday.
Iran's attack was in response to a U.S. attack on three nuclear sites in Iran on Saturday.
IndiGo, another major Indian airline, said routes to the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Georgia would be impacted by the conflict.
As the conflict between Israel and Iran intensified last week, airlines around the world canceled flights to the region.
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