West Asia conflict disrupts flights: 281 cancellations on Indian Airlines, limited services resume

3 minutes of readingUpdated: Mar 6, 2026 10:19 am IST

Flight operations in parts of West Asia continue to face disruptions amid the ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran, and major aviation hubs across the Gulf have seen widespread cancellations since February 28.

Key transit hubs, including Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain, have suffered large-scale disruptions as airspace restrictions and security concerns affect commercial aviation in the region.

Middle East-based airlines including Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad said several scheduled services remain suspended, with limited flights operating while authorities assess the evolving security situation.

Gulf airlines extend suspensions

Meanwhile, some Gulf airlines continue to maintain suspensions on several routes.

Emirates has extended the suspension of certain flights until March 7, while Qatar Airways said it will continue its suspension of operations and issue an update on March 6.

Etihad to resume limited flight schedule from March 6

Etihad will resume a limited commercial flight schedule from March 6, 2026, operating between Abu Dhabi and several key destinations.

Guests with prior reservations will be accommodated as soon as possible in these… pic.twitter.com/A5WFv6nAqx

– Etihad Airways (@etihad) March 5, 2026

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Etihad Airways said it will resume a limited commercial flight schedule from March 6 to 19, connecting Abu Dhabi with several destinations, including five Indian cities: Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Delhi, Hyderabad and Mumbai.

Airlines and aviation authorities said flight schedules will continue to be adjusted depending on airspace restrictions and safety assessments in the region.

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Cancellations hit Indian airports

According the Ministry of Civil Aviation,As of March 4, a total of 281 flights scheduled to operate on Indian domestic airlines have been cancelled.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation continues to closely monitor the development of the situation in West Asia. As of March 5, a total of 281 flights scheduled to operate today by Indian domestic carriers have been cancelled. Passengers are advised to periodically monitor the status of their flight and…

—MoCA_GoI (@MoCA_GoI) March 5, 2026

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The ministry said the flights include 30 operated by IndiGo and 23 by Air India and Air India Express, as authorities continue to monitor the evolving airspace situation in parts of West Asia and its impact on international operations.

So far, 1,221 flights operated by Indian airlines and 388 by foreign airlines have been canceled due to the current situation.

The ministry said airlines have made calibrated adjustments to their schedules, and long-haul and ultra-long-haul operations have gradually resumed via alternative routes that avoid restricted airspace.

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Airlines resume select services

Indian airlines, including IndiGo, Air India, SpiceJet and Akasa Air, have resumed some operations to destinations in the Middle East, including Dubai International Airport, Jeddah and Fujairah, although a large portion of regional flight services remain suspended.

IndiGo said it has started flights to Athens, Muscat, Jeddah and Medina, and is operating select repatriation flights to the United Arab Emirates, according to a social media post.

Air India said it plans to begin scheduled operations between Jeddah, Delhi and Mumbai from March 5, and will also operate additional flights to Toronto, Frankfurt and Paris from the same date.

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