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Air travel between India and the Middle East is gradually stabilising after a week of massive disruptions. A significant escalation in the Israel-Iran conflict led to widespread airspace closures and thousands of flight cancellations. Airlines are now adding extra flights, easing cancellation rules and restoring services as thousands of passengers try to return home or resume planned journeys.
Carriers including SpiceJet, IndiGo and Air India have taken measures over the past few days to support passengers affected by the volatile situation in parts of the Middle East. For many travellers and families in India, the additional flights and policy changes offer reassurance that connectivity with major Indian cities is slowly returning.
SpiceJet announced it is operating 14 special flights on Friday, 6 March, to help stranded passengers return to India as soon as possible.
Amid restricted air travel from ongoing tensions in the Middle East, the airline is deploying additional capacity to assist Indian nationals unable to travel due to disruptions.
According to the airline’s schedule, 13 of these flights operate from Fujairah and one from Dubai. Of the flights departing Fujairah, nine are bound for Mumbai, while four are bound for Delhi. The additional service from Dubai will connect passengers to Pune.
In a post on social media platform X, the airline said it continues to operate several special flights from the United Arab Emirates to India to support passenger travel during the ongoing situation.
The extra services aim to clear the backlog of passengers waiting for confirmed departures after several routes were affected by the regional conflict.
The newly scheduled flights are part of a broader effort by SpiceJet to increase capacity between the UAE and India. In the past three days, the airline has operated 25 special flights to help passengers stranded in the Gulf return home. These services connected major Indian cities, including Delhi, Mumbai and Kochi.
For many passengers, these additional flights are a crucial step toward easing the congestion that built up after sudden changes to flight schedules earlier in the week.
The airline has also announced eight more flights scheduled for 8 March, which will again connect Fujairah with Delhi and Mumbai. With travel demand between India and the Gulf consistently high due to tourism, business travel and the large Indian diaspora working across the region, airlines have been under pressure to restore normal connectivity quickly.
Meanwhile, IndiGo has announced it will extend free cancellation waivers for flights to and from the Middle East, as well as to Istanbul.
The airline said the decision was made in response to ongoing volatility in the region and the uncertainty passengers may face when planning travel.
In a statement posted on X, IndiGo said the full waiver on cancellations will remain in effect until 31 March 2026 for flights affected by the situation.
The waiver applies to travel to and from destinations across the Middle East and Istanbul, allowing passengers to cancel bookings without additional charges during the specified period.
IndiGo has also urged passengers to regularly monitor their flight status through its official channels and contact the airline’s customer centre for assistance.
The airline has issued the customer support number +91 124 6173838 to address queries and help travellers navigate changes to their itineraries.
Air India has begun restoring operations after airspace restrictions over parts of the Gulf were lifted. According to the airline, services to and from key Middle Eastern destinations resumed after authorities confirmed that airspace over Saudi Arabia and Oman had reopened and was considered safe for operations.
In a social media update, the airline said flights connecting India with Jeddah and Muscat have resumed.
Its subsidiary, Air India Express, has also restarted several routes linking Muscat with Indian cities such as Delhi, Kochi, Kozhikode, Mangaluru, Tiruchirappalli and Mumbai.
Additionally, flights connecting Ras Al Khaimah and Dubai with Indian cities, including Delhi, Kochi, Kozhikode, Bengaluru, and Mumbai, are expected to resume from 7 March 2026.
As airlines steadily add capacity and reopen routes, travel between India and the Middle East appears to be moving toward normalcy, offering relief to passengers who have faced uncertainty over the past several days.
(With inputs from various sources.)
1. Are flights between India and the Middle East operating normally again?
Air travel between India and several Middle Eastern destinations is gradually stabilising as airlines restore services and add special flights.
2. Why were flights between India and the Middle East disrupted?
Flights were disrupted due to airspace closures caused by escalating tensions during the Israel–Iran conflict.
3. Which airlines added special flights for stranded passengers?
Airlines including SpiceJet, IndiGo and Air India introduced additional services and policy changes.
4. Which Middle Eastern destinations are affected?
Flights to cities such as Dubai, Muscat and Jeddah were impacted during the airspace restrictions.
5. Are airlines offering refunds or free cancellations?
Yes. Several airlines have introduced cancellation waivers and flexible rebooking policies for passengers affected by the disruptions.
