Rising geopolitical tension in the Middle East has led to regional airspace closures, flight cancellations and mid-air diversions, disrupting the plans of many passengers around the world.In the wake of tensions between Iran, the United States and Israel, Air India Express announced that it will temporarily suspend all its flights to the Gulf region. The airline has advised passengers to check the status of their flights and update their contact details as it continues to monitor the situation.Among the affected services is Air India Express flight IX 832, from Dubai to Mangaluru, which was scheduled to take place on February 28 but was cancelled, according to the Flight Radar app.
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Now, travelers who departed on their trip or were on board during that time have shared their experiences and the disruptions they faced in their plans.Abdullah, one of the passengers, had left his home heading to his scheduled flight at five in the evening. However, he learned on the way that it was postponed and later cancelled. “I got the flight cancellation information when I was on my way to the airport around 12pm. The flight was scheduled to be at 5pm and it was postponed.
He told Khaleej Times: Finally, we were informed of the cancellation.Rahman, an Indian passenger traveling from Mangaluru to Doha on Air India Express flight IX 821, added that the flight changed unexpectedly after departure. The man heading to Doha for work said: “We set off normally, and everything was calm.”He added: “Half an hour later, the pilot made an announcement in which he said that there were security concerns due to the situation in the area, and the plane would be diverted.”
“There was silence inside the plane when the announcement came,” Rahman said.The flight was diverted to Mumbai, according to flight information shared with passengers.Another passenger, who was scheduled to fly from Mumbai to Dubai, said his flight was canceled a few hours before departure, forcing him to postpone his business trip.Zak, a UAE resident returning after visiting his family in India, said he was at the airport preparing to catch a flight to Dubai when he received a message stating that the flight had been cancelled.
“I was already at the airport preparing to fly to Dubai when we received a message saying the flight had been cancelled,” Zak said.He added: “The airline said that operations were affected due to the regional situation. My family became worried after seeing news of the conflict.”Emirates Airlines, the main symbol of the strong relations between the UAE and India, has transported more than 90 million passengers between Dubai and India since it began operations in 1985. It currently operates 167 weekly flights, linking Dubai to nine Indian cities, according to the Dubai Government Media Office.Across the UAE, India remains one of the major travel destinations and flight cancellations have disrupted many passengers with no relief currently in sight.
