With several flights to the Middle East cancelled due to attacks on Iran by Israel and the US, several passengers were stranded at various airports across India on Sunday. According to the civil aviation ministry, Indian airlines are expected to cancel over 400 international flights on Sunday due to airport restrictions.
Closure of airspaces in Iran, Israel, Iraq, UAE, Jordan, Syria and parts of the Gulf region has also hit the common people.
"Due to airspace restrictions over Iran and parts of the Middle East, 410 flights of domestic carriers were cancelled on 28 February, and 444 flights are expected to be cancelled on 1 March," the ministry said in a post on X.
As per the authorities, the Passenger Assistance Control Room (PACR) continues to closely monitor passenger concerns and facilitate prompt redressal. On Saturday, AirSewa recorded 216 grievances.
Travellers at Bengaluru airport bound for Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, and Italy faced abrupt flight cancellations. Ground staff reportedly informed passengers that services would remain suspended until a ceasefire is established, leaving many in a state of indefinite travel uncertainty.
The Kempegowda International Airport shared an advisory for travellers on X.
Meanwhile, people stranded at Mumbai airport complained of poor communication from the airline and airport authorities.
"We were trying to fly back to the US, and our flight got cancelled... We did not get any information regarding our flight cancellation... We have not received any messages. We've been here for almost an hour now... We were going via Bahrain..." a passenger was quoted by ANI.
The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport shared a passenger advisory in this regard in a post on X, stating, “Due to temporary closures and restrictions affecting multiple international airspaces in West Asia, certain international flights may experience delays, rerouting, or cancellations. Passengers are advised to check the latest flight status with their respective airlines before travelling to the airport and plan their journey accordingly.”
At Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL), 35 flights to the Gulf region were cancelled as per the schedule posted on the official website.
Similarly, a Saudia Airlines flight to Jeddah, Oman Air's flight to Muscat, an IndiGo flight to Dubai, Air Arabia flights to Sharjah and Abu Dhabi, an Etihad flight to Abu Dhabi, and a SpiceJet flight to Dubai are listed as scheduled on the website.
"My kids from Scotland were planning to come home next week. With these flight disruptions and uncertainty, I don't know whether they will come. They were planning to stay in Dubai for two days before reaching Kerala," said Gayathri Nair, a resident of Kochi.
As many as 37 international flights scheduled to depart from Thiruvananthapuram International Airport Limited (TIAL) to various Gulf countries have been cancelled since Saturday afternoon.