Aviation Crisis: Middle East Conflict Grounds Flights, Strands Passengers

The Ministry of Civil Aviation declared on Monday that IndiGo will conduct 10 special flights from Jeddah to India on March 3, aimed at assisting stranded passengers during the ongoing Middle East conflict. This plan hinges on necessary approvals and current airspace conditions.

The Ministry underscored coordination between IndiGo and the Consulate General of India in Jeddah for passenger facilitation. Alongside, foreign carriers in the Gulf region have been performing limited operations considering operational and airspace constraints.

Amid disruptions, Air India has suspended flights to and from the region until March 3 due to continuing airspace closures. The airline commits to passenger safety, offering alternative arrangements, rescheduling, or refunds. Concurrently, Finnair has also paused its Doha and Dubai flights until March due to safety concerns. These interruptions came after US-Israel military actions against Iran provoked regional airspace restrictions.