Flying to the Middle East or Europe? Check the latest flight updates and travel advisories

Heading to the airport soon? You might want to double-check your flight status. Ongoing tensions across West Asia (commonly referred to as the Middle East region) have disrupted one of the world’s busiest aviation corridors, affecting travel between India, the Gulf, and Europe.

Several countries in the region – including Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Israel, and the United Arab Emirates – have temporarily grounded or restricted flights, forcing airlines worldwide to cancel or reroute services that usually pass through the region.

Since the conflict escalated on February 28, airlines have cancelled some 37,000 flights to and from the Middle East. The ripple effect has also hit long-haul travel from India to Europe, with fewer routes available, longer flight times due to detours, and significantly higher ticket prices.

For now, travellers can expect limited schedules, rerouted flights, and frequent last-minute changes. Here’s how major airlines operating from India are responding.

Air India

India’s flag carrier, Air India, has announced 78 additional international flights between March 10 and 18 to help passengers affected by cancellations and route closures.

The airline is opening nine additional routes connecting Delhi and Mumbai to destinations in Europe, the United States, the Maldives, and Sri Lanka, adding 17,660 extra seats during the period.

Alongside its budget arm Air India Express, the airline is also running 24 special flights to Jeddah and Muscat on March 9. In addition, 32 ad-hoc flights will operate to and from cities in the UAE to help stranded passengers.

IndiGo

India’s largest airline, IndiGo, has begun gradually restoring operations to the region. For now, the airline is operating a limited schedule with 17 departures to eight West Asian destinations. Travellers should expect route diversions, as flights avoid high-risk airspace across parts of the region. Passengers are advised to check updated departure times and possible delays before leaving for the airport.

SpiceJet and Akasa

Both SpiceJet and Akasa Air are currently running select flights to major Gulf destinations, including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah, Muscat, and Jeddah. However, schedules remain fluid and could change depending on airspace restrictions.

International airlines

Several Gulf carriers, including Qatar Airways, Emirates, and Flydubai, are operating limited repatriation or restricted-capacity flights.

Meanwhile, major European airlines such as Lufthansa, Air France, British Airways, and Air Canada are rerouting flights or scaling back operations to avoid risky airspace.

As a result, India–Europe travel remains one of the worst affected routes, with longer detours and reduced availability.