- 1,200 Indian & 3,880 foreign flights cancelled due to West Asia tensions.
- Airspace closures force long reroutes, extra fuel & time.
- Safety first; airlines offer rebooking/refunds per DGCA rules.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation has made a statement that overall there have been 1, 200 flights of Indian airlines and 3, 880 flights of foreign airlines cancelled due to airspace restrictions and rising tensions in West Asia. The cancellations cover the time from mid, February 2026 till now, as a few countries in the area closed or greatly limited their airspace because of the increased military and geopolitical developments.
Air India, IndiGo, Vistara, Akasa Air, and other Indian carriers have had to divert a lot of their international flights, thus, being disrupted quite heavily in terms of operations. The routes most affected are the ones to Europe, the Middle East, and parts of Africa, where the airlines had to choose longer routes over the Arabian Sea, Central Asia, or Africa so as not to fly through the restricted zones. Thereby flight times have considerably increased (by up to 24 hours extra per leg), fuel consumption has gone up, as well as additional crew duty time restrictions.
Also Read: West Asia War: 34 Flights Cancelled in Bengaluru
Foreign airlines flying to/from India especially those from Europe, the UK, Gulf countries, and Southeast Asia have had similar problems, which explains the large number of cancelled flights. The Ministry has pointed out, that it is safety which will always be the main concern, and airlines are working in close partnership with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and international aviation authorities to handle the situation.
Airlines were advised to quickly inform their passengers, offer rebooking or full refunds if applicable, and provide accommodation/meals for the affected travellers in accordance with the DGCA passenger rights guidelines. Several airlines have come up with contingency plans such as wet, leasing aircraft and changing schedules to reduce the impact.
The Ministry is keeping a close eye on the situation and is in regular communication with airlines, airports, and foreign missions through officials. They are hopeful that tensions in West Asia will subside soon which will help to restore normal flight operations and lessen the inconvenience to passengers.