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India closely monitoring Middle East airspace disruptions; special flights planned for stranded passengers

The Civil Aviation Ministry is closely monitoring the evolving airspace situation in parts of the Middle East and its impact on international flight operations, as airlines adjust schedules and work to restore services.

The situation was reviewed on Monday at a high-level meeting chaired by Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu, attended by Civil Aviation Secretary Samir Kumar Sinha and senior officials.

According to the Ministry, Indian carriers have undertaken calibrated schedule adjustments, with long-haul and ultra long-haul operations progressively resuming through alternative routings that avoid restricted airspace. Aircraft and crew repositioning measures are also underway to stabilise operations at the earliest.

In response to the disruptions, IndiGo has planned 10 special relief flights from Jeddah to India on March 3, to facilitate the return of stranded passengers. The operations will be subject to necessary approvals and prevailing airspace conditions.

The airline is coordinating with the Consulate General of India in Jeddah to streamline passenger facilitation. In addition, airlines are deploying extra capacity where required and working closely with foreign aviation authorities and Indian missions abroad to ensure the safe and orderly movement of travellers.

Foreign carriers operating between India and the Gulf region are also running limited services, depending on operational feasibility and airspace considerations.

The Ministry emphasised that passenger safety remains the top priority. Airlines have been advised to maintain transparent communication and comply with regulatory requirements related to refunds, rescheduling and passenger assistance.

Travellers have been urged to check the latest flight status directly with their respective airlines before heading to airports and to rely only on official sources for updates.

The Ministry said it remains in continuous coordination with airlines, airport operators, regulatory authorities and the Ministry of External Affairs to ensure safe operations, orderly restoration of services and support for affected passengers. Further updates will be issued as the situation evolves.

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