In view of the evolving situation in the Middle East and Persian Gulf, IndiGo has begun its repatriation efforts, coordinating with the relevant authorities in India and the respective governments. The airline said four such flights are at present enroute to Jeddah, while one is expected to be operated to and from Muscat, later in the day.
From tomorrow, March 4, 2026, IndiGo said it will offer more scheduled flights and provide additional seat capacity.
“IndiGo will be reinstating select flights as part of a carefully planned restoration of its schedule, with safety as the topmost priority,” the airline said in a press release.
The airline said operations are expected to resume to select destinations in line with prevailing airspace conditions and necessary regulatory approvals.
The destinations being gradually restored include Muscat, Jeddah, Madinah in the Middle East and Athens in Europe. In total, the airline is scheduled to operate 13 return flights, amounting to 26 sectors, under the revised timeline.
For March 4, repatriation flights to stations in the UAE are being worked upon. However, it will depend on the local situation and the necessary approvals. Given the evolving situation, this shall be confirmed at a later stage, IndiGo said.
For all other stations, IndiGo said it is closely monitoring the situation and working with the relevant authorities for local slots and permits to progressively restore its operational schedule.
IndiGo continues to update its social media platforms and website with the latest status, the airline added.
“Amidst this highly volatile situation, safety and security of its customers, crew and aircraft continue to be of paramount importance to IndiGo,” it reiterated.
Earlier, the Embassy of India in Saudi Arabia, in a post on X, said IndiGo will operate special flights to India from Jeddah to facilitate stranded passengers. The Embassy said, “IndiGo Airlines to fly special flights to India from Jeddah.”
IndiGo’s Bhubaneswar-Dubai flight for Wednesday cancelled
Director Prasanna Pradhan, meanwhile, on Tuesday said IndiGo’s flight to Dubai scheduled for Wednesday was cancelled by the airline, and passengers were informed in advance.
IndiGo operates Bhubaneswar to Dubai flights three times a week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The Monday and Wednesday flights were cancelled while a decision on the flight scheduled for Friday will be taken after reviewing the situation, Pradhan said.
The passengers of the flight on Monday have not faced any major inconvenience due to prior information, he said, adding, “We hope that the passengers of flight for Wednesday will not face any issue as they were informed in advance.”
The Ministry of Civil Aviation is monitoring the prevailing situation in West Asia on a daily basis and taking necessary steps accordingly, the airport director said.
Iranian Supreme Leader Khamenei was killed in a major attack by Israel and the United States on Saturday.
US President Donald Trump said the heavy and pinpoint bombing of Iran would continue through the week or as long as necessary.
In the wake of the situation, many airspaces in West Asia have been closed, causing massive flight disruptions, leaving people stranded in different cities.
Indian missions step in as UAE airspace closure disrupts flight
Meanwhile, Indian diplomatic missions in the Gulf region have stepped up assistance to stranded passengers after widespread flight disruptions triggered by temporary airspace closures in parts of West Asia.
The Embassy of India in Kuwait, in a post on X, said it remains “fully engaged” in assisting Indian nationals affected by the disruption.
“Embassy @indembkwt remains fully engaged in assisting Indian passengers stranded in Kuwait due to the temporary shutdown of airspace. Embassy officials are in regular contact with the stranded passengers, and are closely liaising with Kuwaiti authorities, managements of the respective hotels and airlines,” the embassy said.
Meanwhile, Abu Dhabi-based carrier Etihad Airways announced that all its scheduled commercial flights to and from Abu Dhabi remain suspended until 2 pm (UAE time) on Wednesday, March 4.
In an operational update, the airline said some repositioning, cargo and repatriation flights may operate in coordination with UAE authorities and subject to strict safety approvals.
“Guests should not travel to the airport unless they have been contacted directly by Etihad and advised to do so,” the airline stated, adding that passengers must check flight status on its website before travelling and ensure contact details in bookings are up to date.
Etihad further said guests holding tickets issued on or before February 28 for travel up to March 7 may rebook free of charge on Etihad-operated flights up to March 18. Refunds are also being offered for affected passengers.
Budget carrier SpiceJet reported several flight cancellations from the UAE due to the airspace closure.
In a separate statement, Akasa Air said it would operate select flights to and from Jeddah on March 3 and 4 following a comprehensive safety review. The airline announced Mumbai to Jeddah and Ahmedabad to Jeddah services on specified dates, while clarifying that operations are subject to prevailing conditions.
However, Akasa Air said its flights to and from Abu Dhabi, Doha, Kuwait and Riyadh will remain suspended until March 4. “The safety and well-being of our passengers and crew remain our highest priority,” the airline said, urging travellers to check flight status before heading to the airport.
Authorities and airlines continue to monitor the evolving situation in the Gulf region, with safety assessments guiding the gradual resumption of flight operations across the region.
