The Ministry of Civil Aviation, in its statement, said that 410 flights were cancelled on Saturday after armed hostilities broke out between the United States, Israel, and Iran. The situation is going to prevail on Sunday as well, as the Ministry has claimed that 444 are likely to be cancelled on Sunday.
Flight operations in the entire Middle East suffered a major hit on Saturday, following the armed escalation between the three nations. Several Indian carriers, like Air India and IndiGo, announced the suspension of all of their flights to destinations across the Middle East. The announcement came from both airlines hours after an Air India flight en route from India to Tel Aviv was forced to turn back mid-journey following the closure of regional airspace.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), India, issued a Safety Advisory on Saturday, warning of heightened risks to civil aviation in the Middle East and Persian Gulf airspace.
The DGCA has advised Indian operators to refrain from operating within the affected airspace at all flight levels and altitudes.
Operators have also been asked to closely monitor updated Aeronautical Information Publications (AIPs) and NOTAMs issued by the affected countries and national authorities, and to note that earlier advisories regarding Syrian and Yemeni airspace remain in full effect.
The disrupted airline operations, coupled with the shutdown of Dubai Airport, following several missile strikes by Iran in several Middle Eastern regions, left several Indians stranded in airports. Indian shuttler PV Sindhu was one of them. The famous badminton star was en route to Birmingham for the All England Open, which is scheduled to begin on Tuesday, with Dubai serving as her connecting point. However, the escalating conflict in the region brought one of the world's busiest travel hubs to a complete standstill, leaving thousands of passengers — including the two-time Olympic medallist — with no clear path forward.
Other than Sindhu, the Indian Senior Men's National Basketball Team also got stuck in Doha, Qatar, following their match in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers.
Source: India Today