Air India Express has on Sunday cancelled its planned flights connecting Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah, and Sharjah, following directions from the UAE airport authorities.
A statement had earlier said that Air India and Air India Express would operate a combined total of 72 scheduled and non-scheduled services to and from West Asia on 15 March. However, the airline will now only operate one round trip on the Delhi–Dubai sector, subject to slot availability and prevailing conditions. Air travel in the UAE continues under a reduced schedule as a consequence of the air raids in Iran and its counter-strikes across the Gulf using ballistic missiles and drones.
In a statement, the airline said that following instructions from the UAE airport authorities, it is compelled to curtail ad hoc operations to and from Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah, and Sharjah on Sunday.
Airlines have curtailed services to West Asia amid the escalating conflict involving the US, Israel, and Iran, which has resulted in significant airspace restrictions.
Air India had stated that passengers scheduled to travel on any of the routes where Air India's scheduled services remain temporarily suspended can either rebook for a future date (at no additional charge) or opt for a full refund.
Meanwhile, some oil-loading operations were suspended in the UAE's Fujairah emirate, a global ship-refuelling hub, after a drone attack, industry and trade sources said on Saturday. The UAE's Ministry of Defence confirmed that the situation in the country is currently safe, following earlier warnings about potential missile threats in the morning.
