The North News
New Delhi, June 24
Air travel in and out of Delhi faced major disruption on Tuesday as at least 48 flights were cancelled at Indira Gandhi International Airport, after multiple Gulf nations shut down their airspace in response to an Iranian missile strike on a US military base in Qatar. The cancellations – which included 28 arrivals and 20 departures – followed emergency airspace closures by Qatar, Bahrain, the UAE, Iraq and Kuwait. The abrupt regional lockdown came in the wake of Iran’s strike on the Al Udeid airbase near Doha, further escalating tensions in a region already on edge.
India’s flagship carrier Air India axed 17 flights, while low-cost operator IndiGo cancelled eight. Other affected carriers included SpiceJet and Akasa Air. All were forced to adapt rapidly to shifting flight corridors, or ground operations altogether. IndiGo, in a statement, said it was “cautiously and gradually resuming operations” to the Gulf as some countries began reopening restricted airspace. The airline urged passengers to monitor updates through its website and mobile application.
SpiceJet and Akasa issued similar alerts, with Akasa noting it is operating only on “approved and secure routes.” While the Ministry of Civil Aviation has not yet released a formal statement, government officials said they were monitoring the situation closely and coordinating with affected airlines. The cancellations triggered widespread frustration among passengers, many of whom were left stranded or scrambling to find alternative routes amid the unfolding regional crisis.
