India-Gulf flights slowly resume amid turbulence

Mumbai: Airlines are gradually increasing flight frequencies between India and the Gulf even as the regional conflict continues to disrupt one of the world's busiest aviation corridors, forcing large-scale cancellations and affecting thousands of passengers.

India's civil aviation ministry said on Friday it is "closely monitoring the evolving situation in the West Asia region and its impact on air travel between India and countries in the region," as airlines adjust operations to ensure passenger safety and continuity of services.

The disruption follows the escalation of hostilities involving the US, Israel and Iran, and Tehran's retaliation against its neighbours, forcing airlines worldwide to avoid parts of Middle Eastern airspace-a key transit corridor linking Asia with Europe and North America.


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As of Friday, several carriers were still operating reduced schedules while rerouting flights around sensitive zones, increasing travel times and operational complexity.

Data from aviation analytics firm Cirium highlights the scale of the disruption. Since February 28, when the war began, more than 92,000 flights were scheduled in and out of the Middle East through Thursday, of which over 49,000 were cancelled.

Despite the turmoil, demand on the India-Gulf route has remained strong. The ministry said 150,457 passengers travelled from Gulf countries to India between February 28 and Wednesday.

"Flight operations by Indian carriers to/from Riyadh have resumed from March 12, 2026," the ministry said.

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Amid the volatile operating environment, airlines have begun cautiously restoring routes and adding capacity.

Air India said it will operate 78 additional international flights between March 10 and March 18, adding 17,660 seats across nine routes connecting Delhi and Mumbai with destinations in Europe, the US, Maldives and Sri Lanka to accommodate passengers struggling to find travel options.