Air India Express Resumes Muscat Flights, IndiGo Runs Ten Jeddah Relief Operations

In a significant relief for passengers affected by disruptions in West Asia, Air India Express on Monday night announced the resumption of flight operations from Muscat beginning Tuesday. The Ministry of Civil Aviation also confirmed that IndiGo will operate ten relief flights from Jeddah on March 3 to bring back stranded Indian passengers. The move comes amid ongoing instability in the region that has led to widespread cancellations and airspace restrictions over the past several days.

According to the Ministry, IndiGo’s special flights from Jeddah are subject to necessary approvals and prevailing airspace conditions. The airline is coordinating with the Consulate General of India in Jeddah to facilitate passenger movement. On Monday alone, as many as 357 flights to and from West Asia were cancelled due to operational constraints arising from the regional crisis, reflecting the scale of disruption faced by travellers.

Air India Express stated that it will resume services to and from Muscat with scheduled flights to six Indian cities — Delhi, Kochi, Kozhikode, Mangaluru, Mumbai and Tiruchirappalli. The first outbound flight from Muscat is scheduled to depart for Tiruchirappalli at 10:25 am local time. However, operations to Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates will remain suspended until 11:59 pm IST on Tuesday, the airline clarified.

Also Read: Middle East Flight Chaos: EaseMyTrip Offers Charter Options for Indian Passengers

Meanwhile, Dubai International Airport announced a partial resumption of operations on Monday, permitting only Emirates to operate initially. Indian carriers have been asked to resubmit and specify their slot requests on a case-by-case basis due to limited operational capacity. Airline executives indicated that rescheduling efforts are currently underway as authorities gradually restore airport functionality following temporary closures triggered by security concerns.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation said it continues to closely monitor developments in the Middle East and is addressing passenger grievances through its Passenger Assistance Control Room. A total of 559 complaints have been registered on the Air Sewa platform so far. Separately, Air India confirmed that it has resumed operations to destinations in the United States, Canada and Europe, initially using the Egyptian route before switching to a route via Saudi Arabia.

At Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi, 91 flights were cancelled on Monday, including 52 arrivals and 39 departures, due to the ongoing crisis. While airlines gradually restore select international services, scheduled operations to several West Asian destinations remain suspended. Authorities have assured passengers that efforts are ongoing to stabilise flight schedules and facilitate safe travel as regional airspace conditions improve.

Also Read: Rajasthan Tribal Workers Face Crisis in Kuwait Amid Escalating US-Iran Hostilities