West Asia conflict disrupts flights: 281 cancellations at Indian metros, limited services resume | World News

3 min readMar 6, 2026 09:07 AM Flight operations across parts of West Asia continue to face disruptions amid the ongoing conflict involving the US, Israel and Iran, with major aviation hubs across the Gulf witnessing widespread cancellations since February 28.
Key transit centres, including Dubai in the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain, have seen large-scale disruptions as airspace restrictions and security concerns affect commercial aviation in the region.
Airlines based in the Middle East, including Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad, said several regular services remain suspended, with only limited flights operating as authorities assess the evolving security situation.
Gulf carriers extend suspensions
Meanwhile, some Gulf airlines continue to maintain suspensions on several routes.
Emirates has extended the suspension of certain flights through March 7, while Qatar Airways said it is continuing its suspension of operations and will issue an update on March 6.

Etihad to resume limited flight schedule from 6 March
Etihad will resume a limited commercial flight schedule from 6 March 2026, operating between Abu Dhabi and a number of key destinations.
Guests with previous bookings will be accommodated as soon as possible on 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 March 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 security assessments in the region.Story continues below this ad
Cancellations hit Indian airports
According to the Minry of Civil Aviation,a total of 281 flights scheduled to operate Indian domestic carriers have been cancelled, as of march 4.

The Minry of Civil Aviation continues to closely monitor the evolving situation in West Asia. As of 5 March, a total of 281 flights scheduled to operate today Indian domestic carriers have been cancelled. Passengers are advised to regularly monitor their flight status and…
— MoCA_GoI (@MoCA_GoI) March 5, 2026
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The minry said the flights include 30 operated IndiGo and 23 Air India and Air India Express, while 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 Indian carriers and 388 foreign airlines have been cancelled due to the ongoing situation.
The minry said airlines have undertaken calibrated adjustments to their schedules, with long-haul and ultra-long-haul operations gradually resuming through alternative routings that avoid restricted airspace.Story continues below this ad
Airlines resume select services
Indian carriers 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, though a large portion of regional flight services remains suspended.
IndiGo said it has commenced flights to Athens, Muscat, Jeddah and Madinah, and is operating select repatriation flights to the United Arab Emirates, according to a social media post.
Air India said it plans to commence scheduled operations between Jeddah and 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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