War on Iran brings Indian aviation to a standstill, over 170 flights cancelled

Mumbai: A sharp escalation in the military conflict between the US-Israel and Iran has brought regional aviation to a standstill, forcing Indian carriers to suspend all operations to the West Asia.

At least 170 flights from India have been cancelled as of Saturday, leaving thousands of passengers stranded and disrupting one of the world's busiest air corridors.

"Indian carriers operating international services have been advised to continuously monitor airspace advisories, NOTAMs, and route restrictions issued by the concerned authorities," India's ministry of civil aviation (MoCA) said.


NOTAMs are notices to airmen, official alerts on airspace and operational changes. Airports across India have been placed on operational alert to manage diversions and unscheduled landings.

The Tata Group-owned carrier cancelled services to Abu Dhabi (AUH), Dubai (DXB), Doha (DOH), Muscat (MCT), Riyadh (RUH), Jeddah (JED), Dammam (DMM) and Tel Aviv (TLV), among others.

"In view of the developing situation in parts of the Middle East, all Air India flights to all destinations in the Middle East have been suspended," the airline said on X.

Air India also suspended multiple flights to Europe and North America for March 1.

IndiGo, India's largest airline by market share, initially halted operations until midnight but later extended the window. "In view of the evolving situation around Iran and the West Asia, our flight operations to and from the West Asia, and other select international sectors have been suspended until 1st March 2026, 1800 hrs IST," the carrier said, describing the move as a "proactive safety measure".

Air India Express, SpiceJet and Akaasa Air, too, have cancelled flights on Saturday.

According to agency reports, around 170 flights were cancelled from India.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) warned airlines of a "significant escalation in security risks within West Asia and Persian Gulf regions". Referring to a bulletin by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), it described a "high-risk environment for civil aviation" and advised operators to "avoid operations" in affected airspace unless supported by a detailed risk assessment. The bulletin is valid until March 2. DGCA has marked 11 airspaces in West Asia as "high-risk zone".