Brief shutdown of Gulf airspace triggers widespread anxiety

Time of India

6 hours ago

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Pune: The brief closure of airspace by Qatar and the UAE, as Iran fired missiles at an American airbase in the Middle East on Monday, triggered severe unease among Indians who either have relatives in the Gulf or had imminent travel plans to countries there.
On Tuesday, there were some signs of tensions easing between Iran, Israel and the United States. The countries that closed their airspace on June 23 have since reallowed flight operations
One elderly resident of Mumbai said she hoped the peace would hold long enough for her son in Abu Dhabi to visit. NRI students studying in India — many currently back in their home countries in the Gulf — said they were anxious to make it back by the time Indian universities resumed classes.
"We're extremely worried about more airspace closures, flight delays and even cancellations. It's really a stressful time," said a resident of Bahrain who is studying in Dehradun.
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Vivek Bangale, currently in Riyadh to visit his pregnant wife who works there, said the uncertainties triggered by the conflict made him feel helpless. He said: "We decided to have the delivery in Mumbai. My wife is due in September. Things may cool down by then, but I also have an elderly father who is alone at home. What if there's another round of fighting and I'm unable to make it back if he has an emergency?"
Yash Gulati, founder and CEO of Inforens, an international mobility app, said the closures, even if brief, had stunned people.
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He said: "It's not just delays. Air travel disruptions have the potential to disrupt lives and careers. Students were having panic attacks, over visa status, savings and university seats, which they have to report to on time. This is chaos they had never signed up for."
Many in the Gulf said they were now postponing travel to India. Sameer Talnavi, who works at a bank in Dubai, said he was to visit family in Mumbai this month, but had now rescheduled to October.
"The airspace closure on Monday was shocking. I don't want to jeopardise my family's safety," Talnavi said.
Santosh Gupta, who runs Shree Vinayak Holidays in Pune, said the number of phone calls he received suggested worry. "Some travelling to Dubai had made last-minute plans so that they could fly at a moment's notice. They were affected," Gupta said.
Karan Agarwal, director, Cox & Kings, also saw a spike in rescheduling and assistance requests, particularly from travellers affected by unscheduled layovers and extended delays. "While the situation is understandably frustrating, there's no need to panic. All airlines are actively supporting passengers with refunds, rerouting and even accommodation if necessary," Agarwal said.