Indian airlines cancel 350 international flights on Sunday: Aviation Ministry

Indian airlines cancelled around 350 international flights on Sunday as operational disruptions continued for a second consecutive day amid the escalating conflict in the Middle East.

Air India and IndiGo were among the airlines that cancelled flights operating through Middle Eastern airspace, citing safety considerations and evolving restrictions.

"In view of airspace restrictions arising from geopolitical developments in the Middle East, a total of 350 flights operated by Indian domestic carriers have been cancelled on 01.03.2026," the civil aviation ministry said in a post on X. Earlier, the ministry in an X post said that 444 international flights were expected to be cancelled on Sunday due to airspace restrictions over Iran and parts of the Middle East. On February 28, the ministry said 410 flights of domestic carriers were cancelled.

Air India and SpiceJet shared details about the number of flights cancelled through X posts. Air India said Sunday morning it had cancelled a total of 22 international flights, besides 28 it had announced on February 28 due to the Middle East crisis. According to SpiceJet, 33 flights to and from the UAE have been cancelled.

Air India Express extended the suspension of flights to and from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates until 2359 hours IST on March 2.

IndiGo said the temporary suspension of select international flights that use Middle East airspace, has been extended until 2359 hours IST on March 2.

Meanwhile, the ministry also said it was closely coordinating with airlines, airport operators and other stakeholders to proactively monitor the situation and facilitate necessary passenger support.

Airlines are also offering waivers for rescheduling and cancellation charges. Air India and Air India Express said that for bookings made on or before February 28 with travel originally planned up to March 5, passengers can reschedule flights at no additional charge or request a full refund.

This is for travel to and from the Middle East, which has been impacted due to the ongoing situation. At least 225 flights were cancelled at Delhi and Mumbai airports on Sunday. These include departures and arrivals.

Passenger assistance, airline coordination, and terminal crowd management are being closely monitored, with senior officials deployed on the ground, the ministry said.

It said the Passenger Assistance Control Room (PACR) continues to closely monitor passenger concerns and facilitate prompt redressal. "On February 28, AirSewa recorded 216 grievances, and 105 grievances were resolved during the same period, ensuring necessary support to affected passengers," it added.