Indian Airlines Adjust West Asia Flights Amid Conflict

Indian airlines are adjusting flight operations to West Asia amid the ongoing Middle East conflict, with Air India and Air India Express planning 30 scheduled and ad hoc services to and from the region on April 6, 2026. The moves come as airspace restrictions and security concerns force carriers to navigate longer routes and limited capacities in key hubs like those in the United Arab Emirates.

Air India confirmed that the flights, cleared by Indian and local authorities, will connect major Indian cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kozhikode, Mangalore, Amritsar, Kannur and Thiruvananthapuram to destinations such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah, Muscat, Jeddah and Riyadh. Of these, 10 will be nonscheduled flights to UAE airports, operating from select sectors and subject to slot availability and local conditions. Scheduled operations remain suspended across UAE airports, including Dubai and Abu Dhabi, though ad hoc services will fill some gaps. In Oman, flights to Muscat continue on schedule via Air India Express, while services to Salalah are halted. Saudi Arabia sees active scheduled routes to Jeddah and Riyadh from both airlines, but Dammam remains...