Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi
New Delhi, Mar 4: The Centre on Tuesday said airlines have undertaken calibrated adjustments to their schedules and are planning to operate 58 flights on March 4 amid the ongoing crisis in the Middle East.
In a statement, the civil aviation ministry said special arrangements are being made to facilitate the movement of stranded passengers, with airlines deploying additional capacity wherever required and coordinating closely with foreign aviation authorities and Indian missions abroad to ensure safe and orderly travel.
“A total of 24 flights are being operated by Indian carriers today. In addition, Emirates and Etihad have operated nine flights from the Gulf in the last 24 hours,” the ministry said.
The ministry said it is in continuous touch with airlines and is closely monitoring airfares to ensure there is no undue surge in ticket prices during this period of disruption.
According to the statement, Indian carriers have progressively resumed long-haul and ultra long-haul operations through alternative routings that avoid restricted airspace.
“Indian carriers are further planning 58 flights on 4 March, including 30 by IndiGo and 23 by Air India and Air India Express. Foreign carriers operating between India and the Gulf region are also undertaking limited operations, subject to operational and airspace considerations,” it said.
The ministry added that, so far, 1,221 flights by Indian carriers and 388 flights by foreign carriers have been cancelled due to the prevailing situation. As many as 104 international flights were cancelled by Indian carriers on Tuesday alone, as per figures available since February 28.
In the last three days, 1,117 international flights have been cancelled amid the Middle East crisis.
“All airlines have been advised to maintain transparent communication with passengers and ensure adherence to regulatory requirements concerning refunds, rescheduling and passenger assistance,” the statement said.
The ministry is continuously coordinating with airlines, airport operators, regulatory authorities and the external affairs ministry to ensure safe operations, orderly restoration of services and facilitation of affected passengers.
Meanwhile, Air India said on X that, in view of the continuing situation in the Middle East, it has extended the suspension of most flights to and from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Israel and Qatar until 23:59 hrs IST on March 4, 2026. The airline said it will continue to closely monitor developments in the region and take decisions accordingly.