Gulf conflict disrupts air travel: Kerala passengers battle flight cancellations, delays

Continuing regional tensions in the Middle East are causing severe disruptions to air travel, with extensive cancellations and hours-long delays leaving thousands of passengers stranded. Budget travellers and those relying on connecting flights via major Gulf hubs to destinations in Europe and Central Asia are currently facing the worst of the travel chaos.

Student group misses Almaty connection
The scheduling crisis severely impacted a group of 41 students travelling from Kozhikode to Almaty via Abu Dhabi. Their Air Arabia flight from Kozhikode was significantly delayed, causing them to miss their crucial connecting flight in the UAE capital. The airline has since scrambled to arrange alternative tickets for the affected students over today and tomorrow. Air Arabia has also cancelled several other regional flights within the Gulf sector due to the volatile security situation.

Expatriates hit hard by budget airline disruptions
Low-cost carrier SpiceJet has also seen severe scheduling failures, with multiple services to and from Kerala, specifically Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, and Kozhikode, cancelled or delayed by several hours. This has left numerous expatriate families in distress, many of whom opted for the budget airline to avoid steep peak-season fares. SpiceJet operations to Indian destinations including Mumbai, Pune, and Amritsar have also suffered major delays. Airlines are strongly advising passengers to verify updated flight statuses with customer care before heading to airports.

Global airlines extend flight suspensions
The ongoing geopolitical uncertainty, compounded by security concerns such as the recent attack on two oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, has prompted major international airlines to extend their flight suspensions in the region.

Air Canada has suspended its Dubai services until January 2027, while Finnair has pushed its flight suspensions to March 2027. Cathay Pacific and British Airways have reduced or suspended operations until October 25. Similarly, KLM, Singapore Airlines, and Lufthansa have announced suspensions running until October 24.