Air India suspends flights to and from Middle East, Europe, and North America amidst Middle East conflict

“Amid the developing situation in the Middle East, Air India has ceased all operations to the region as well as to and from the East Coast of North America and Europe with immediate effect, until further notice,” an Air India spokesperson said.

By  Storyboard18| Jun 24, 2025 9:23 AM
The airline added that India-bound flights from North America were being rerouted or returning to their points of origin.

Air India on Monday announced the immediate suspension of all flights traversing Middle Eastern airspace amidst mounting Israel-Iran tensions. The airline also halted operations to and from the East Coast of North America and Europe amid rising regional tensions and airspace closures.

"Amid the developing situation in the Middle East, Air India has ceased all operations to the region as well as to and from the East Coast of North America and Europe with immediate effect, until further notice," an Air India spokesperson said in a statement posted on X.

The airline added that India-bound flights from North America were being rerouted or returning to their points of origin. "Others are being diverted back to India or re-routed away from the closed airspaces. We request the understanding of all passengers who may be affected by this disruption that's beyond an airline's control," the spokesperson added. "Air India is in continuous consultation with its external security advisors and is vigilantly monitoring the evolving solution."

Air India Express, a subsidiary, confirmed diversions and cancellation of flights on affected routes.

A Kochi-Doha flight was diverted to Muscat, and a Kannur-bound flight returned mid-journey. "We currently have no aircraft on the ground in Qatar and no other flights bound for the country," an Air India Express spokesperson clarified, according to media reports.

Other regional carriers, including Kuwait Airways, IndiGo, and Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), have also suspended operations to the Middle East and issued passenger advisories.

First Published onJun 24, 2025 9:16 AM

SPOTLIGHT

Brand MakersDil Ka Jod Hai, Tootega Nahin

"The raucous, almost deafening, cuss words from the heartland that Piyush Pandey used with gay abandon turned things upside down in the old world order."

Read More

The new face of the browser: Who’s building AI-first browsers, what they do and how they could upend advertising

From OpenAI’s ChatGPT-powered Atlas to Microsoft’s Copilot-enabled Edge, a new generation of AI-first browsers is transforming how people search, surf and interact online — and reshaping the future of digital advertising.