UAE Airlines Resume Limited Flights to India Amid West Asia Tensions
In a significant relief for thousands of individuals stranded in West Asia since Saturday, major UAE-based carriers Emirates, flydubai, and Etihad have commenced operating a limited number of special flights, including several routes to India, starting Monday. This development comes amidst heightened regional tensions, with reports of military actions involving Israel, Iran, and other Gulf nations, including explosions noted in Bahrain, Dubai, and Doha.
DGCA Directs Indian Airlines to Resume Operations
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued directives to Indian operators, urging them to resume flights to airspaces that remain open, such as those over Oman and Saudi Arabia. In response, the Air India Group and IndiGo have announced plans to start services from Tuesday. There is an overwhelming demand for both scheduled and charter flights from Indians trapped in the conflict-affected West Asia region, although operations are heavily dependent on the evolving security situation.
Special Relief Flights and Resumed Services
IndiGo has scheduled 10 special relief flights from Jeddah to India on Tuesday, aimed at facilitating the return of stranded passengers, subject to necessary approvals and current airspace conditions, as stated in a government release. Meanwhile, Air India Express will resume its scheduled flights between Muscat and key Indian cities including Delhi, Kochi, Kozhikode, Mangaluru, Mumbai, and Tiruchirappalli from Tuesday. Additionally, Air India has reinstated its services to the US, Canada, Europe, and the UK.
Emirates has prioritized accommodating customers with earlier bookings, directly contacting those who have been rebooked for these limited flights. On Monday, Emirates operated one flight each to Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad. Etihad also managed to get 15 passenger aircraft airborne from Abu Dhabi, including flights to Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Kochi, within a three-hour window as the airport partially resumed operations.
Government and Industry Coordination Efforts
The aviation ministry has emphasized that special arrangements are being made to ensure the smooth movement of stranded passengers. Airlines are deploying additional capacity where needed and are working closely with foreign aviation authorities and Indian missions abroad to guarantee safe and orderly passenger transfers. Air India has reached out to Muscat authorities to operate charter flights, as the group seeks to utilize wide-body aircraft for greater passenger capacity and longer diversion ranges, given the current airspace closures. Air India also plans to resume regular Jeddah flights from Tuesday using its Boeing 777s, which can seat up to 342 passengers.
IndiGo is similarly planning multiple flights and is receiving a high volume of charter requests. Air India has noted numerous requests for charters to Muscat, primarily from individuals stuck in the UAE. According to industry sources, Muscat is typically served by AI Express, but Air India aims to deploy wide-body aircraft for enhanced efficiency and safety, with potential diversion airports in Mumbai or Ahmedabad. They are awaiting approval from Muscat authorities.
Unprecedented Demand for Charter Flights
Gautam Sahni, a prominent Indian charter operator and Managing Director of Subha Aviation, reported an unprecedented surge in group charter requests from locations such as Dubai, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, and Ras Al Khaimah, destined for various Indian cities. He mentioned that they are monitoring windows when UAE airspace opens to operate these flights and are filing for permissions accordingly, with indications suggesting possible openings within a day or two.
