Air India Curtails International Flights Amid Middle East Crisis

Air India has canceled 22 additional international flights scheduled for Sunday, increasing the total number of cancellations to 50 due to escalating tensions in the Middle East. A significant impact on flight operations is anticipated, with Indian airlines expecting to cancel 444 international routes on March 1, as per the Civil Aviation Ministry's announcement.

The Tata Group-owned airline continues to monitor the Middle East situation closely, resulting in further curtailment of scheduled operations. Affected flights include those on routes such as Mumbai-London, Delhi-Birmingham, and Delhi-Amsterdam, among others. This decision follows on Saturday's announcement of 28 overseas flight cancellations for the weekend.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) coordinates closely with airlines to ensure compliance with safety and operational protocols amid these disruptions. IndiGo announced an extension of suspended flights using the Middle East airspace until March 2, 2026. The ongoing Israel-US-Iran conflict has led to multiple airspace closures, creating widespread disruption in the aviation sector.