Israel–Iran War: Conflict Disrupts Indian Flights As Airspace Closures Trigger Global Cancellations

Indian airlines faced disruptions on February 28 after Israel and Iran shut their airspace to civilian traffic following joint military strikes by Israel and the United States on Iranian targets. The escalation has triggered widespread flight diversions, cancellations and rerouting across India and the Middle East.

Air India diverted its Delhi–Tel Aviv flight AI139 back to Mumbai after Israeli airspace was closed.

“AI139 operating from Delhi to Tel Aviv on 28 February is returning to India due to closure of airspace in Israel and in the interest of safety of passengers and crew,” the airline said in a statement. It added that it would continue to assess the security environment and adjust operations accordingly.

IndiGo said it was “closely monitoring regional updates” and advised passengers to check flight status before departure. The airline stated that passenger and crew safety remains its priority and that operational adjustments would be implemented if required.

SpiceJet said some of its flights could be affected due to the closure of airspace over Dubai, a major transit hub for Indian passengers travelling to Europe and North America.

Airspace closures across Iran, Israel, Iraq, the UAE, Jordan and Syria have forced airlines to reroute services, increasing flying times and operational costs. Aviation data platform Flightradar24 said the shutdowns were affecting multiple carriers simultaneously, highlighting the scale of disruption across global aviation networks.

Impact On Indian Travellers And Routes

Dubai, Doha and other Gulf hubs are critical transit points for Indian travellers. Suspensions at these hubs are expected to affect connecting traffic from major Indian cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad.

Emirates temporarily suspended operations from Dubai Airport due to regional airspace restrictions. Qatar Airways suspended flights after Qatari airspace was closed. flydubai confirmed that some services were affected by temporary airspace closures.

Pakistan International Airlines suspended flights to the Middle East. Japan Airlines cancelled its Tokyo–Doha service. Swiss International Air Lines suspended Tel Aviv services until March 7 and cancelled Zurich–Dubai flights over the weekend. British Airways cancelled flights to Tel Aviv and Bahrain until March 3. Turkish Airlines halted services to Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Iran and Jordan until March 2.

Lufthansa cancelled flights to Dubai, Beirut and Oman. Air France cancelled services to Tel Aviv, Beirut, Dubai and Riyadh for February 28 and March 1. Wizz Air suspended flights to Israel, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Amman until March 7. Russian airlines suspended flights to Iran and Israel. LOT Polish Airlines confirmed that its Warsaw–Dubai flight returned to Warsaw due to airspace closures.

For Indian passengers, the disruptions mean possible delays, rerouting via alternative corridors and longer travel times to Europe and North America. Airlines are advising travellers to monitor booking updates and check flight status before heading to airports.

Flight Cancellations Around The World

The conflict has triggered widespread aviation shutdowns beyond India. Airlines across Europe, the Gulf and Asia have cancelled or suspended services to Israel, Iran and surrounding regions.

KLM cancelled its Amsterdam–Tel Aviv service. Iberia Express cancelled its Tel Aviv flight and turned back a Madrid service after Doha airspace was closed. Greece’s Aegean Airlines suspended flights to Tel Aviv, Beirut and Erbil. Bulgaria Air cancelled Tel Aviv flights until March 2. Kuwait’s aviation authority halted flights to Iran. Oman Air suspended Baghdad services.

Industry analysts say the scale of simultaneous airspace closures is rare and reflects the severity of the escalation. Airlines are rerouting through longer corridors over Central Asia and the Arabian Sea to avoid conflict zones.

What Is the Israel–Iran Conflict And Why Is It Happening?

The latest escalation began on February 28 when Israel launched what it described as a pre-emptive strike on Iranian military and nuclear-linked facilities. The United States confirmed its involvement in the operation. The strikes follow a 12-day air conflict between Israel and Iran in June last year.

Tensions have been driven by disputes over Iran’s nuclear programme and regional military influence. Western countries have long sought limits on Tehran’s nuclear activities, while Israel has maintained that it will not allow Iran to develop nuclear weapons capability.

Following the February 28 strikes, Iran announced retaliatory measures and several countries in the region shut their airspace as a precaution. The conflict has heightened geopolitical tensions and raised concerns about further military escalation across the Middle East.

(With inputs from PTI and other sources)

FAQs

1. How is the Israel–Iran War affecting Indian flights?
The Israel–Iran War has led to airspace closures across Israel, Iran, Iraq, the UAE, Jordan and Syria, forcing Indian airlines to cancel, divert or reroute flights.

2. Which Indian airlines are impacted by the Israel–Iran War?
Air India, IndiGo and SpiceJet have reported disruptions due to the Israel–Iran War and resulting airspace restrictions.

3. Why are Dubai and Doha routes affected during the Israel–Iran War?
Dubai and Doha are major transit hubs for Indian travellers. Airspace closures during the Israel–Iran War have disrupted connecting flights through these airports.

4. Which international airlines have cancelled flights due to the Israel–Iran War?
Several global carriers including Emirates, Qatar Airways, Lufthansa, British Airways, Air France and Turkish Airlines have suspended or cancelled services.

5. Will the Israel–Iran War cause longer travel times?
Yes. Airlines are rerouting flights over alternative corridors, increasing flight durations and operational costs due to the Israel–Iran War.