Middle East conflict: Flights resume, passengers relieved as airlines restore operations

Indian Express

6 hours ago

AFTER THE disruption caused by the escalating conflict in the Middle East, major Indian airlines have begun resuming flights from Wednesday, offering relief to hundreds of affected travellers. Carriers including Air India, IndiGo and SpiceJet had earlier suspended or rerouted services as a safety measure, but with conditions gradually stabilising, operations are being cautiously restored.
Apoorva, an Air India official, said the suspensions were necessary due to security concerns linked to the conflict. 'With the situation now stabilising, we have resumed operations on certain routes. Passenger communication, rebooking, and refunds are being handled as per protocol,' the official said.
SpiceJet spokesperson said, 'Flight operations to the Middle East have now returned to normal. We're operating smoothly and even resumed our flights from the 25th.'
Dr Santosh, a passenger who was scheduled to fly from Ahmedabad to London on Air India flight AI 159, shared his experience, 'I was supposed to fly on Tuesday morning at 5:30, but due to the situation in the Middle East, our flight got cancelled. It was stressful because I thought I would miss important business work in London. Now that the flights have resumed, I feel a huge sense of relief. I'm thankful that operations are slowly returning to normal.'
Among the routes affected earlier this week were Pune-Singapore and Bengaluru-Singapore, both of which were temporarily suspended by Air India until at least July 15. The airline had also halted its Mumbai-Bagdogra route and reduced frequencies on 19 other major domestic and short-haul international routes. Routes such as Delhi-Mumbai, Mumbai-Kolkata, and Delhi-Goa saw temporary frequency cuts.
Despite the cuts, Air India continued operating nearly 600 daily flights and had assured passengers that it was working proactively to offer re-accommodation, complimentary rescheduling, or full refunds. With the easing of tension in some regions, the airline has now begun restoring schedules in a phased manner.
IndiGo, which had suspended flights to and from over a dozen Middle Eastern cities including Dubai, Doha, Kuwait, and Jeddah, also resumed select services on Wednesday. The airline continues to assess the situation closely in coordination with aviation authorities and is gradually reactivating affected routes where safe.
Meanwhile, in a stark reminder of the seriousness of the situation, a Dubai-bound SpiceJet flight from Pune was forced to return mid-air early Monday morning. Flight SG-51 had taken off from Pune International Airport around 9:54 pm but returned shortly after crossing Indian airspace due to the escalating conflict in the region.
While the airspace over conflict-affected zones remains under watch, Indian carriers have reiterated that passenger safety remains their top priority. Flyers are advised to check real-time updates via airline websites or apps and ensure their contact details are updated for timely alerts.
With phased resumptions now underway, airlines are cautiously optimistic about returning to full operations, provided the geopolitical environment continues to stabilise.