DGCA advises Indian airlines to avoid 11 Middle East nations till March 2

New Delhi: In view of the ongoing tensions following US and Israeli strikes on Iran, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has advised Indian airlines to temporarily avoid the airspace of 11 countries, including Iran, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, until March 2. The countries listed are Iran, Israel, Lebanon, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait and Qatar.

Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu chaired a review meeting with senior officials, focusing on passenger safety, operational continuity and real-time coordination amid multiple airspace restrictions across parts of the Middle East.

In a statement, the civil aviation ministry said airlines have been instructed to reroute or divert flights in a timely manner wherever necessary, strictly adhering to global safety protocols and established contingency procedures.

Airports nationwide have also been placed on operational alert to handle possible flight diversions, unscheduled landings and passenger assistance requirements.

According to the release, the Airports Authority of India and private airport operators have been directed to maintain enhanced coordination with airlines regarding ground handling, parking bays, passenger facilities, crew logistics and immigration support, as required.

Airlines are providing waivers for ticket cancellations and rescheduling for affected flights.

The ministry further said it is in close coordination with the external affairs ministry to ensure seamless information sharing and appropriate action in case of any urgent requirements involving Indian carriers or Indian nationals overseas.

Air India, IndiGo, Air India Express, Akasa Air and SpiceJet have suspended their Middle East operations. Sources said that by 5.45 pm on Saturday, as many as 57 flights operated by domestic and international airlines had been cancelled at Mumbai International Airport.

As airlines worked to manage the sudden closure of Middle East airspace, flight tracking websites showed hundreds of aircraft hovering across different airspaces. Several flights were diverted, including Air India’s Delhi–Tel Aviv service, which returned to Mumbai in the afternoon.

Amid the disruption affecting thousands of passengers following the Israel and US strikes on Iran, Minister Naidu held a meeting to review preparedness among aviation stakeholders, including airlines and airports.

Amritsar International Airport also issued an advisory stating that certain flights had been impacted due to airspace closures linked to the Iran–Israel conflict.

Air India said in a post on X that it has cancelled all flights to Middle East destinations until 2359 hours on March 1 and is closely monitoring developments.

IndiGo said it has suspended flight operations to and from the Middle East and select international sectors until March 1, 2026, citing the evolving situation around Iran and the region.

Air India Express stated that it has extended the suspension of its westbound international flights until 2359 hours on March 1.

Akasa Air announced that it has suspended all services to and from Abu Dhabi, Doha, Jeddah, Kuwait and Riyadh until March 2.

SpiceJet also issued an advisory regarding the cancellation of its flights to the UAE.