Pilots' association urges flight suspension to UAE, Gulf destinations until safety review is complete amid West Asia conflict

The Airline Pilots' Association of India (ALPA India) has urged the Centre to suspend flights operated by Indian carriers to the UAE and other Gulf destinations until a fresh security review is carried out, citing growing risks to civil aviation amid the escalating conflict in West Asia.

In a letter dated July 20 to Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu and Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) chief Vir Vikram Yadav, the Airline Pilots' Association of India said recent reports of threats directed at Dubai and Abu Dhabi, along with the continuing military escalation in the region, have significantly increased operational concerns for airlines and flight crews, as reported by Moneycontrol.

The pilots' body said civil aircraft flying into or over conflict-affected areas face risks ranging from direct military activity and missile engagements to electronic warfare, GPS interference, rapidly changing airspace restrictions and limited access to timely intelligence. It warned that any error in judgement under such circumstances could have catastrophic consequences.

The Airline Pilots' Association of India has called on the civil aviation ministry and the DGCA to temporarily suspend flights to affected Gulf destinations, including Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and conduct a detailed threat assessment involving national security agencies, intelligence authorities and aviation experts before allowing operations to continue.

West Asia tensions raise aviation concerns

The demand comes as tensions between the US and Iran have intensified over the past eight days, with attacks reported on both civil and military targets. The latest escalation has renewed concerns about the safety of commercial aviation in one of the world's busiest transit regions.

The conflict has already disrupted global aviation several times in recent months. Airlines across the world have been forced to reroute flights, avoid certain air corridors and absorb higher operating costs as military activity in the region intensified following US and Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28.

Several aviation regulators in Europe and North America have also issued advisories from time to time, cautioning airlines against operating through conflict zones.

Why the Gulf matters for Indian airlines

The Gulf remains a crucial international market for Indian airlines. Carriers including Air India, IndiGo, Air India Express, Akasa Air and SpiceJet operate dozens of daily flights connecting major Indian cities with Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and other destinations across the region.

According to the Airline Pilots' Association of India, traffic between India and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries accounts for nearly 50% of all international passenger traffic travelling to and from India. The GCC region also serves as a key transit hub for passengers flying onward to Europe, North America and Africa.

Airlines have begun restoring normal operations

The appeal comes even as airlines have moved towards restoring normal operations. By mid-July, Air India and Air India Express had announced the return of their regular Middle East schedules and reopened normal flight inventories for sale. Air India Express also launched a new Navi Mumbai–Abu Dhabi route recently.

The Airline Pilots' Association of India said the July 20 letter follows a representation submitted to the DGCA in March, when it had urged the regulator to adopt a precautionary approach in response to the evolving military situation in West Asia.

The letter, signed by ALPA India president and International Federation of Air Line Pilots' Associations (IFALPA) director Capt Sam Thomas, stressed that passenger and crew safety must remain the overriding priority and argued that preventive regulatory action is preferable to responding after an avoidable tragedy.