Air India and its subsidiary Air India Express will operate a combined total of 78 scheduled and chartered flights to and from destinations in the West Asia region on Friday as the airlines work to maintain connectivity amid the evolving situation in the Middle East.
The services are being operated across multiple routes linking Indian cities with key West Asian hubs to accommodate passenger demand and ensure continuity of travel, even as airlines remain cautious and continue to assess developments in the region.
The ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel has significantly affected international aviation operations, with several airlines suspending or rerouting flights due to security concerns and temporary airspace restrictions in parts of the region.
The disruption forced carriers worldwide to cancel or divert numerous flights over the past few days, affecting passenger movement and cargo operations.
Indian carriers have also faced operational challenges as some routes passing through sensitive airspace had to be adjusted or temporarily suspended. Airlines and aviation authorities are closely monitoring the situation while gradually restoring schedules wherever conditions permit.
In a statement issued here, the airlines stated that the two carriers continue to operate their respective scheduled services to and from Jeddah and Muscat on Friday, – operating a total of 6 flights to and from Jeddah, and Air India Express operating 12 scheduled flights to and from Muscat.
Additionally, Air India will operate one round-trip each from Delhi and Mumbai to Jeddah while Air India Express will operate one flight from Hyderabad to Jeddah and back.
Both the airlines will operate one non-scheduled round flight each tomorrow to Riyadh in Saudi Arabia from Mumbai and Kozhikode, respectively.
Air India Express will also operate its scheduled services to Muscat, including one round-trip each from Delhi, Kannur, Kochi, Kozhikode, Mumbai and Thiruvananthapuram.
In addition to the scheduled services, Air India and Air India Express would operate a total of 60 non-scheduled flights to and from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia, subject to availability of slots and other prevailing conditions at the departure stations at the time.
These flights are being operated with the requisite permissions from the relevant Indian and local regulatory authorities.
