W Asia conflict: Indian airlines cancelled over 10K since Feb 28

MOre than 10,000 flights operated by amerindic airlines feature been cancelled since feb 28 as air space disruptions stay in West Asia following US-Israel military operations, according to people aware of the matter.“Between February 28 and April 5, Indian airlines cancelled 10,341 flights, while foreign carriers reported 2,177 cancellations,” an official said on condition of anonymity. “On Sunday alone, Indian airlines cancelled 284 flights, taking the cumulative passengers impacted to over 10.79 lakh.”The disruptions stem from restrictions across key Middle East airspace corridors, forcing airlines to reroute flights, operate longer sectors, or suspend services altogether.“The airspace status across the region remains unchanged since the last advisory issued on March 17. Despite the constraints, Indian airlines have sustained connectivity through a mix of scheduled and non-scheduled operations (NSOP), particularly on high-demand India–Middle East sectors,” a second official said.Between February 28 and April 3, Indian airlines carried 240,254 passengers and operated 45 NSOP movements, the official said.“In comparison, foreign airlines carried 443,881 passengers and undertook 18,924 NSOP movements during the same period,” the second officialadded.Athird official said that on April 4, Indian carriers operated 44 inbound flights from West Asia, bringing back 8,061 passengers.“Foreign carriers flew 19,215 passengers and conducted 825 NSOP movements on the same day. Overall, more than 7.3 lakh passengers have been flown into India since the disruptions began,” the third official said. “Indian airlines had planned 42 inbound flights from the region on April 5, indicating continued efforts to maintain passenger movement amid operational challenges,” he added.Officials confirmed that one Air India Express aircraft (VT-AXX) remains stranded in Abu Dhabi due to ongoing restrictions.However, they said domestic airport operations remain unaffected, with no congestion reported across Indian airports.“Airlines are continuing to recalibrate schedules in response to evolving airspace conditions, even as uncertainty persists over the duration of the disruptions,” an official said.Air India and Air India Express on Sunday said they will together operate 30 scheduled and non-scheduled flights to and from West Asia on Monday, subject to prevailing conditions.Similarly, IndiGo said it will operate select flights on these routes, adding that schedules are being assessed regularly in coordination with relevant authorities. It advised passengers to check flight status before heading to the airport.