US-Iran conflict: Abu Dhabi flight lands in Delhi as Middle East services resume cautiously

A flight from Abu Dhabi touched down in Delhi on Monday, marking the first signs of a cautious restart of India-linked travel after days of widespread disruption across the Middle East.

Airlines have begun restoring limited services following the US-Israeli attack on Iran, though schedules remain unstable and subject to sudden changes. According to PTI, the Abu Dhabi service arrived at Indira Gandhi International Airport, while another Etihad Airways flight from Abu Dhabi was scheduled to land in Mumbai.

Passengers onboard described heightened military activity in the skies over the Gulf. "We could see missiles being constantly intercepted. The airspace is very busy. There was not a very visible impact in Abu Dhabi," returnee Shiv said.

Carriers across the region are reopening routes in phases. Air India Express announced it will restart flights to and from Muscat from March 3, reconnecting Delhi, Kochi, Kozhikode, Mangaluru, Mumbai and Tiruchirappally.

Travel platforms take charge

Travel platform EaseMyTrip said it will operate special charter flights from Fujairah to Delhi and Mumbai on March 3 between 7 pm and 9 pm to assist stranded passengers. The company said seats are limited and will be allocated on a first-come basis.

Emirates said it would resume a limited number of flights from the evening of March 2, prioritising customers with existing bookings. "We are accommodating customers with earlier bookings as a priority," the airline said, adding that rebooked passengers would be contacted directly.

"Please do not go to the airport unless you have been notified," Emirates said. "All other flights remain suspended until further notice. The safety and security of our passengers and crew remain our highest priority."

Flydubai also confirmed a gradual resumption from March 2. "Customers are advised to update their contact details and check Flight status before travelling to the airport," it said.

Despite the initial reopening, restrictions remain widespread. Etihad Airways has suspended all scheduled passenger services to and from Abu Dhabi until 14:00 UAE time on March 4, though select repositioning, cargo and repatriation flights may operate with government approval.

"Guests should not travel to the airport unless they have been contacted directly by Etihad," the airline said, noting that full services would resume only when safety requirements are met.

Air India has extended its suspension of Middle East flights until late March 3, citing continued airspace closures. The airline said it is "closely monitoring and assessing the evolving situation in the Middle East" while maintaining long-haul operations to North America, Europe and the UK.

MoCA on rerouting flights

India’s civil aviation ministry said airlines are rerouting aircraft to avoid restricted airspace and are repositioning crews and planes to stabilise schedules. IndiGo plans to operate 10 special relief flights from Jeddah on March 3 to bring back stranded passengers, subject to regulatory approvals and airspace conditions.

On Monday alone, 357 flights were cancelled due to the regional crisis. The ministry said 559 passenger complaints have been resolved through helplines and digital platforms.

The disruption stems from the escalating US-Israeli war with Iran, which has led to missile and drone attacks across multiple Middle Eastern countries and forced temporary airspace closures, severely affecting regional and global aviation networks.

(With inputs from PTI)