NEW DELHI: Indian airlines canceled 279 international flights on Sunday due to the conflict in the Middle East, while the Civil Aviation Ministry said it was closely monitoring the situation.
The ministry said that airlines plan to operate 50 flights from the region on Monday, adding that it is also closely monitoring flight prices to ensure there is no unjustified rise in ticket prices.
The escalating conflict in the Middle East between the United States, Israel, and Iran has significantly disrupted flight operations due to airspace closures and restrictions.
The ministry said on Sunday that due to the ongoing situation in the Gulf, aviation operations in several sectors were affected.
“A total of 49 flights were scheduled today by Indian domestic airlines from West Asia to India. As of March 8, 279 flights scheduled to be operated today by Indian domestic airlines have been cancelled,” the ministry said in a post on X.
The 49 flights were scheduled from various cities in the Middle East, including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah, Muscat and Jeddah, subject to operational feasibility.
“Passenger movement data for March 7, 2026 shows that a total of 51 domestic flights operated by Indian airlines arrived in India from the region with 8,175 passengers on board,” the ministry said in a statement.
A total of 66 flights, including 34 departures and 32 arrivals, were canceled at Mumbai airport on Sunday, an official said.
Delhi airport operator DIAL said that due to current geopolitical developments in the Middle East, some westbound international flights may face delays or schedule changes.
On Monday, Air India and Air India Express will operate 10 flights to and from Jeddah, while Air India Express will operate 14 flights to and from Muscat.
Additionally, Air India and Air India Express will operate a total of 32 dedicated non-scheduled flights to the UAE on Monday to help repatriate stranded passengers to India, subject to availability of slots and other prevailing conditions at the respective point of departure at that time, Air India said in a statement.
According to the ministry’s statement, it was in continuous coordination with airlines and other concerned parties.
“Air fare prices are also being closely monitored to ensure that ticket prices remain reasonable and there is no unjustified increase during this period,” she added.
Air India will operate 78 additional flights on nine international routes from March 10 to 18 to provide more travel options to passengers amid the disruptions caused by the conflict in the Middle East.
This article was generated from an automated news feed without any modifications to the text.
