“This article was last updated on 3 March 2026. The situation across the Middle East is evolving rapidly — sometimes hour by hour. All information here was accurate at time of writing, but you must verify the latest position directly with your airline, your government's travel advisory service, and official aviation bodies before making any decisions. Links to key resources are listed at the bottom of this page.
What Has Happened
Conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran has caused large parts of Middle Eastern airspace to close suddenly and without extended notice. The closures have cascaded across the region, affecting some of the world's busiest aviation hubs — including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Doha — and disrupting thousands of international flights.
For travellers to and from India, this matters significantly. Many of the most popular routes between India and Europe, North America, and East Africa pass through or over the Middle East. That corridor is now severely compromised.
This is not a reason to panic. It is a reason to be well-informed, patient, and thoughtful about your plans.
Which Airspace Is Currently Affected
As of early March 2026, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has issued guidance advising airlines to avoid the airspace of multiple countries, including:
- Iran — total airspace closure
- Iraq — total airspace closure
- Israel, Lebanon, Syria — closed or severely restricted
- UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan — closed or partially restricted
The situation at Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Doha airports has been particularly disruptive, as these are major transit hubs for passengers connecting between India and the rest of the world.
These closures can change with very little notice. An airspace declared open in the morning may close again by the afternoon.
How Airlines Are Responding
Airlines serving India are taking a range of approaches. Here is a general picture — but please treat this as context only and check directly with your airline for the current position on your specific flight.
Air India has suspended direct flights to and from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Israel, and Qatar. For flights to Europe and North America that would normally overfly Iran or Iraq, Air India is rerouting via southern Saudi Arabia, Oman, Egypt, and — in some cases — making technical fuel stops at Rome. These rerouted flights are adding between 30 minutes and four hours of additional journey time.
IndiGo has cancelled hundreds of flights to Middle Eastern destinations and suspended operations on affected routes pending further review.
Emirates and Etihad (based in Dubai and Abu Dhabi respectively) have resumed a limited number of flights after initial shutdowns, but the vast majority of their schedules remain cancelled or subject to short-notice change.
Qatar Airways has suspended all operations from Hamad International Airport in Doha pending the reopening of Qatari airspace.
European carriers — including Air France, KLM, British Airways, Lufthansa, and Swiss — that route via Europe rather than the Gulf are less directly affected on the India leg, though some have also suspended services to Middle Eastern destinations.
Turkish Airlines, which routes via Istanbul, has cancelled flights to Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Syria, and the UAE — but its Istanbul hub itself remains open, making it one of the few connecting options still functioning with relative stability.
“If you have a flight booked: Contact your airline directly. Do not rely on third-party booking platforms for real-time status. Airlines are updating their policies on waivers, refunds, and rebooking — often daily.
Alternative Routes Still Operating
For those who genuinely need to travel, some corridors remain open:
Via Istanbul (Turkey): Turkish Airlines' Istanbul hub remains operational and is currently one of the more reliable transit points between India and Europe. Expect congestion and some delays as demand is redirected here.
Via Central Asia / Northern Corridor: Some carriers are rerouting westbound long-haul flights north of Iran — over Central Asia, the Caspian, and southern Russia — adding flight time but avoiding the conflict zone. This adds roughly two to four hours depending on origin and destination.
Via South / Africa Corridor: Flights to certain destinations are being rerouted south, over the Arabian Sea and around the Horn of Africa. Again, significantly longer journey times apply.
Directly within India: Internal Indian aviation is not directly impacted. If your need is to move within India, domestic flights, trains, and road travel remain unaffected.
If You Have No Urgent Reason to Fly — Stay and Sip
This is, genuinely, worth saying: if your travel is not urgent, there is no shame — and considerable wisdom — in staying put until the situation stabilises.
India is not going anywhere. The ghats of Varanasi, the tea gardens of Darjeeling, the backwaters of Kerala, the palaces of Rajasthan — all of it will be waiting for you when the skies are calmer.
If you are already in India and your return flight has been disrupted, treat it as an invitation rather than an inconvenience. Extend your stay. Find a chai wallah, sit by a river, let the rhythm of the country settle around you.
Rushed departures through uncertain airspace serve no one. Patient travellers who wait for clearer conditions typically find smoother journeys — and often, unexpectedly meaningful extra days on the ground.
Practical Steps Right Now
- Check your airline's website directly — most major airlines have a dedicated travel advisory or disruption page updated daily.
- Check your government's travel advisory — UK travellers should consult gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice; US travellers should check travel.state.gov.
- Monitor airspace in real time — Flightradar24 and FlightAware show live flight movements. Safe Airspace tracks conflict zone risk ratings by country.
- Contact your travel insurer — many policies include cover for cancellations due to conflict or airspace closure. Read your policy carefully and call your insurer before making changes.
- Do not book new connecting flights through affected hubs — until the situation stabilises, avoid routing new bookings through Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi, or other currently affected airports.
- Keep calm and keep checking — the situation, while serious, is being managed actively by aviation authorities and airlines. Information is the most useful thing you can have right now.
Key Resources
- Air India Travel Alerts
- Flightradar24 — Live Airspace Map
- Safe Airspace — Conflict Zone Database
- EASA Conflict Zone Bulletins
- UK Foreign Travel Advice — India
- US State Department — India Travel Advisory
- FlightAware — Flight Cancellation Tracker
- Travel Tomorrow — Airline-by-Airline Status
Chai Bhai is a travel and culture publication, not an aviation authority. Nothing in this article constitutes professional travel, legal, or insurance advice. Always rely on official sources — your airline, your government, and accredited aviation bodies — for decisions about your safety and travel plans.