The ongoing geopolitical tension in the Middle East is now having a direct impact on the wallets and travel plans of Indian travelers. On Sunday, March 1, more than 350 flights of Indian Airlines were cancelled. According to the latest data from the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA), this major reshuffle has taken place in the aviation sector due to the restrictions imposed in the airspace of the Middle East. Although earlier there was a possibility of cancellation of 444 flights, but it is a matter of relief that this number was limited to 350 only.
Delhi-Mumbai airports most affected
The Aviation Ministry has clarified that a day before this, on February 28, 410 flights of domestic companies were cancelled. The biggest impact of this international crisis is being seen at the busiest airports of the country. According to PTI sources, 100 flights were grounded at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, while 125 flights had to be canceled at Mumbai Airport.
In view of the situation, all major Indian airports have been put on ‘operational alert’. The ministry, airlines and airport operators are in constant touch. Senior officials have been deployed at the airports to handle the rush of passengers and provide necessary assistance to them, so that any unexpected diversion can be dealt with smoothly.
Foreign flights also stopped
This crisis is not limited to domestic routes only. Tata Group-owned Air India has canceled 22 additional international services for Sunday. With this, the total number of foreign flights canceled by Air India due to the Middle East crisis has now reached 50. The airline has extended the suspension of select international flights using Middle East airspace until March 2.
The airline management says that this precautionary step has been taken only after closely assessing the situation. At the same time, SpiceJet has also canceled 33 of its flights between India and United Arab Emirates (UAE) for March 2, 2026. Apart from this, the operations of global airlines like Lufthansa and Emirates have also been badly affected.
What are the rules for refund, reschedule?
The biggest problem is being faced by those passengers who had advance booking and who had to travel for important work. But, aviation companies have tried to protect customers from financial loss in this difficult time. Both IndiGo and Air India have announced the facility to reschedule tickets or get a full refund without any extra charges for passengers traveling to and from the Middle East.
Indigo has clarified that the complete waiver will be applicable for travel till March 7 on tickets booked on or before February 28. On the other hand, Air India has also provided the same facility for bookings made till 28th February (whose journey was scheduled till 5th March).