New Delhi: The Air India Group has announced a calibrated reduction in its flight operations to West Asia, with a total of 32 services—both scheduled and special—planned for Sunday. The move reflects a cautious approach as the airline navigates evolving operational conditions in the region.
Out of the total flights, 12 will be non-scheduled services primarily catering to routes in the United Arab Emirates, subject to slot availability and regulatory clearances. Despite the scale-down, key destinations such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah will continue to remain connected through a mix of regular and ad hoc flights.
Air India will operate a Delhi–Dubai service, while its subsidiary Air India Express will handle additional connections including Mangalore–Dubai, as well as flights linking Delhi and Kochi to Abu Dhabi. Services to Sharjah will also be maintained from cities like Amritsar and Kannur. However, no flights are currently scheduled for Ras Al Khaimah and Al Ain.
In Oman, operations remain stable on the Muscat route, with multiple departures from Indian cities including Delhi, Mumbai and Thiruvananthapuram. However, services to Salalah continue to be suspended.
Partial operations are also continuing in Saudi Arabia, with flights to Jeddah and Riyadh still active, while routes to Dammam remain halted. Meanwhile, services to Bahrain, Doha, Kuwait and Tel Aviv have not resumed.
The airline clarified that its long-haul international network—covering North America, Europe and Australia—remains unaffected, with disruptions largely limited to West Asian sectors.
To minimise inconvenience, passengers impacted by cancellations are being offered flexible options, including complimentary rescheduling or full refunds. Airlines have also advised travellers to keep their contact details updated to receive real-time notifications regarding flight changes.
Budget carrier IndiGo has also indicated that it is operating select Middle East routes, with schedules under continuous review in coordination with relevant authorities.
