‘My family became worried’: India–Gulf flight passengers recount moments of disruption due to airspace closure

Escalation of geopolitical tension in the Middle East led to regional airspace closures, flight cancellations and mid-air diversions, disrupting the plans of numerous passengers across the world.

In the wake of the tensions between Iran, the United States and Israel, Air India Express announced that it would be temporarily suspending all its flights to the Gulf region. The airline advised passengers to check their flight status and update their contact details as it continues to monitor the situation.

Among the affected services was the Air India Express flight IX 832, from Dubai to Mangaluru, which was scheduled for February 28 but cancelled, as per the Flight Radar app.




Now, passengers who had departed for their journey or were in flight during the time have shared their experiences and disruptions in their plans.

Abdullah, a passenger, had departed from home for his flight scheduled at 5 pm in the evening. However, he got to know on the way that it was delayed and later cancelled. “I got the information of flight cancellation when I was on my way to the airport at around 12pm. The flight was scheduled at 5pm and was delayed. And finally we were informed about the cancellation,” he said to Khaleej Times.

Rahman, an Indian passenger travelling from Mangaluru to Doha on Air India Express flight IX 821, added that the journey changed unexpectedly after departure. "We took off normally, and everything was calm," said the man heading to Doha for work.

"After half an hour, the pilot made an announcement saying there were security concerns due to the situation in the region, and the aircraft would be diverted,” he shared. “There was silence inside the aircraft when the announcement came,” said Rahman.

The flight was diverted to Mumbai, according to flight information shared with passengers.

Another passenger set to fly from Mumbai to Dubai said his flight was cancelled just hours before departure, forcing him to postpone his business trip.

Zak, a UAE resident returning after visiting his family in India, said he was at the airport preparing to catch a flight to Dubai when he got the message that it had been cancelled. “I was already at the airport preparing to travel to Dubai when we received a message that the flight had been cancelled,” said Zak.

“The airline said operations were affected due to the regional situation. My family became worried after seeing news about the conflict," he added.

Emirates Airline, a key symbol of the UAE’s robust ties with India, has carried more than 90 million passengers between Dubai and India since it began operations in 1985. It currently operates 167 weekly flights, connecting Dubai to nine Indian cities, according to the Government of Dubai Media Office.

Across the UAE, India remains one of the most premier destinations for travel, and the flight cancellations have disrupted numerous passengers with currently no relief in sight.